


Letters From the Heart

by Myoneloveismusic



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Letters, M/M, Slow Burn, long-distance relationship in a way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-25 00:07:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12023940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myoneloveismusic/pseuds/Myoneloveismusic
Summary: One day Keith finds a letter left in his favorite diner. Upon the prodding of the diner's owner, Joe, he reads and responds to the writer starting a long series of letters between unintentional pen-pals. It all seems to be going well until Keith starts to develop feelings for this mysterious Shiro on the other end of the letters.





	Letters From the Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This is my contribution to the Sheith Big Bang!!
> 
> I'm so excited to be posting this and got to work with an awesome artist and you can find their work here: https://twitter.com/Inversidom_Riot/status/905877152150716416

The first letter had been an accident. Well…finding it had been an accident, anyway. It was written and posted intentionally. Keith had just walked into his favorite diner-the best one in the city in his opinion-when he’d seen it. The envelope wasn’t anything extraordinary, just the simple white envelopes that you can buy in the store. And it wasn’t addressed to anyone specific, just had the words ‘For You’ scratched onto the front. If Keith had seen it anywhere else, he probably would’ve left it alone, but it caught his attention, looking so out of place among the local advertisements and photos that the owners of the diner had taken with customers whenever they felt like it or had someone notable person eat there.

“Hey Joe?” Keith called over his shoulder, still standing in front of the board.

“Yeah? Oh, Keith! What can I do for you?” he asked, grin pulling his mouth wide.

Keith pointed at the envelope with his thumb. “What’s this letter for?”

“Oh, that thing? This customer that we got today, real cool guy, he asked if he could leave a letter on the board for anyone that wanted to read it. It isn’t for anyone specific and he said that he leaves them wherever he goes. He said he was doing some travelling or something. Said his name was Shaun? Shane? Shiloh? Aw, hell, I don’t remember. You can read the letter. I’m sure Betty won’t mind.”

“Okay, thanks,” Keith said, already reaching forward and pulling the letter loose from where it had been taped up. He ran his fingers over the envelope as he walked over to the bar top and took a seat on one of the stools.

“Want the usual?” Joe asked as he settled down and let his bag fall to the floor next to his feet.

“Yeah, that’d be great.” He was hardly paying attention, already flipped the letter over and carefully lifting the flap from where it had been sealed shut mere hours ago. The action felt reckless somehow, like he was trespassing on something he shouldn’t be. Like he was touching something that didn’t belong to him. ‘For You’ the envelope had said, but how could it be for him. Why would someone leave something for him?

Keith held his breath as he pulled out the single sheet of paper that had been folded three times. He almost expected someone to burst through the doors of the diner and snatch the paper from his hands.

‘This isn’t yours!’ they’d say. ‘You’re not special enough to get a letter like this!’

But nothing happened. The only voice was the imaginary one ringing inside of his head and trying to convince him to stop what he was doing. He ignored it. Unfolding the letter and choosing to read instead.

 

_19 August 2014_

_Dear Stranger,_

_I never expected anyone to actually read one of my letters. I’ve been on my journey for more weeks than I can remember at this point and I haven’t had a single response sent to my P.O. Box in all of that time. I’m beginning to think that no one is ever going to read one of my letters. Or if they do, they simply have no interest in writing me back._

_Now you may be wondering why exactly I’m leaving letters in seemingly strange places. I don’t find them strange at all. I choose the places where I leave my letters because they’ve brought an unexpected moment of brightness and happiness into my life. I leave one letter in every place that I visit and you’ve found this one._

_Would you believe that I almost passed this diner by? And to think it was the place that became where I wrote this letter. The owners, Betty and Joe, welcomed me as soon as I stepped foot inside. I hadn’t felt so appreciated in so long that I almost didn’t know what to do with myself. They seem like the type of people who would have a house full of kids, but when I asked said they had none._

_Said they couldn’t have any, which broke my heart. But that was why they opened the restaurant. So they could meet new people and have a family full of customers. It always proved to be a positive aspect of their daily life to have so many people around. Betty didn’t tell me his name, but apparently there’s one particular customer who she’s overly fond of. He comes in at least once a week and always orders the same thing, saying it’s his day to splurge since he has to keep an eye on his finances for school._

_Are you this mysterious customer? Was I fortunate that you were the one to pick up my letter? I hope so. I hope that you found it when you came in and chose to open it. Or maybe several weeks have passed by the time you’ve picked up my letter and you’re just now reading my words as they speak to you from the past._

_In any case, no matter who you are, I hope that you enjoy your meal at this wonderful diner that I hope to visit again one day. If you’ve never talked to them, say a few words to Betty and Joe or share a conversation with them. I know they’d appreciate it. And if you have anything you’d like to say back, you can send a letter to my P.O. Box._

_Shiro_

A plate being set down in front of him startled Keith from what he was reading and he looked up to find Joe smiling down at him.

“Anything interesting in the letter?” he asked.

Keith looked back down at the paper, where this man’s name-Shiro-was scrawled at the bottom of the page. His handwriting was enticing. Could handwriting even be considered enticing? He wasn’t sure, but it captured his attention.

“Yeah, there’s some interesting stuff in here. This guy left an address for a P.O. Box in case anyone wants to write him back.” Reluctantly, he folded the letter and set it next to his plate before picking up a fry and popping it into his mouth.

“Are you?”

“Am I what?” he asked, pulling the tomato from the top of the burger. “Am I going to write him back? Why should I?”

Joe hummed. “You seemed pretty interested in what it said.”

“It was a letter from a stranger that was hanging up on the bulletin board in your diner. Of course I was interested in what it had to say. People don’t just go around leaving letters for other people to find.”

“I think you should write him back.”

“Why’s that?” Keith asked, picking up his burger.

Joe crossed his arms and leaned a hip up against the counter. “The guy seemed lonely. He could use a friend like you.”

He froze, mouth open comically wide as he was about to take a bite. He lowered his hands and leaned back, gaze slowly moving over to Joe.

_There’s one particular customer who she’s overly fond of._

“A friend like…me?” Keith mumbled under his breath. “I’ll think about it. I guess.”

“Great!” The bell above the door dinged signalling the entrance of another customer. “Good afternoon! How can I help you today?”

Keith glanced down at the letter before returning his attention to his food. He would have time to think about that later. He said he’d think about it, not that he’d actually write him back. Almost petulantly, he thought that he didn’t owe anyone anything, especially this faceless person who’d left a letter in a small, practically unknown diner.

He thought that Joe’s eyes were going to burn a hole through the back of his head from where he was taking care of the other customers. He thought the letter that he’d stuffed in his backpack was going to burn a hole through his backpack and through the back of his shirt. He couldn’t stop thinking about it as he walked down the sidewalk back to his apartment. He knew that his roommates Hunk and Pidge would be out for the afternoon. He briefly thought that they were doing something with Lance, but couldn’t be bothered to try and remember exactly what that was.

He pushed through the door to his apartment and made his way to his room. Keith kicked off his shoes and set his backpack on his bed, pulling off his signature red jacket and leaving that over the back of his desk chair before sitting cross-legged in the middle of his bed. He pulled the letter out of his backpack and read over it again. His fingers itched. He felt like he needed to do something. Make a difference. Take a step. The first plunge. He hadn’t felt like this in a long time.

Almost reluctantly, he pulled his notebook from his backpack and a black pen. He flipped past all of the notes and work from his classes and settled on a blank page. His eyes darted between the letter and the blank page and he bit his lip. Releasing a heavy breath, he put his pen to the paper and let his scratchy handwriting slowly begin to fill the page.

 

_19 August 2014_

_Dear Shiro,_

_In the years that I’ve known Betty and Joe, I had no idea that they wanted kids so badly and that was their reason for opening their diner. Now that I think about, I feel like I don’t know too much about them, but they’ve always been there for me and listened to what I had to say. They always had an interest in my life which actually took me off guard the first time that I paid them a visit. I really do care for them and enjoy seeing them every week._

_Joe was the one who told me to respond to your letter after I picked it up and read through it. I find it hard to believe that you haven’t gotten a response yet. I feel like this is the kind of thing that anyone else would’ve jumped at the chance to do. It’s not every day that you get to communicate with a complete stranger who’d just decided to leave a letter in your local diner._

_Why do you leave letters? Why did you start this? Where did you come from and where are you going? You said that you couldn’t remember how long you’ve been on your journey. So is there something that you’re searching for?_

_There’s probably something that we’re all searching for. For me, I think it would be something along the lines of a steady job after college that will allow me to live comfortably. Life hasn’t been the easiest and I’d like to have some form of security. I’m not even sure why I’m telling you this, but maybe you’ll find interest in it. An interest in me._

_And now, I’m rambling. Can you ramble on paper? I suppose you can since I just did._

_Keith_

He sat back and stared over the paper that was now filled with his words. He felt ridiculous. Why would this person care to know more about him? Maybe Shiro didn’t even want anyone to respond to his letters, thinking that they would easily just be something that he could leave around and forget about.

Letting his pen fall on top of his notebook, Keith scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed. Was he really so desperate for some sort of change or excitement that he was willing to write a letter to a complete stranger? For all he knew this Shiro guy could be a complete creep! But…there was something about the way he talked about Joe and Betty that spoke to him and the care he obviously took with crafting his letter.

Grumbling to himself, Keith carefully tore the sheet of paper from his notebook and folded it up. He pushed himself from the bed and pulled an envelope from his desk drawer, stuffing the letter inside before carefully copying down the P.O. Box address on the outside of the envelope and leaving his own return address in the corner. He stuck his last stamp on the outside of the envelope and hurriedly stuffed his feet back into his shoes.

He felt ridiculous for writing the thing and still felt ridiculous as he hurried down the steps to the mailbox outside. But he knew that if he waited any longer, he would completely lose his nerve and wouldn’t be able to send it at all. He shoved it through the flap and felt a dawning sense of horror as it disappeared into the dark depths within. He spun on his heel and practically sprinted back to his apartment, looking nothing short of a madman, before falling heavily on his bed and throwing an arm across his face once he got to his room.

“God, I’m so stupid. This is so ridiculous. I can’t believe I’m sending this complete stranger a letter. Like, who does that?!” Keith growled and rolled over so his face was buried into the sheets. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” This sense of embarrassment was never going to leave him. He was doomed to this forever. He might as well just end himself know to keep from suffering further.

“Keeithhh! We’re back!” Pidge shouted as the front door was pushed open.

“And we brought dinner,” Hunk added happily.

He tilted his head to the side so his voice wouldn’t be muffled by his blanket. “I’m fine thanks. I just got back from the diner.” He heard them murmur something in the kitchen but couldn’t make it out due to the distance they were from his room. He sighed and let his head fall back into the blankets.

“You could at least come out here and hang out with us. We haven’t seen you all day. We haven’t really seen a lot of each other so far this-what are you doing?” Pidge asked, obviously confused.

He tried to send a glare at her over his shoulder. “Can’t I just lie in bed in peace?” he grumbled.

Pidge crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame. “No. What’s up? Things can’t have gotten that bad yet, we just started the semester.”

“You’re not going to leave me alone until I give you the story are you?”

“Nope,” she said and grinned.

Keith sighed and slowly pushed himself up and out of bed. “I might as well come in there with you then since I’m sure you’ll go off and tell Hunk anyway.”

“Sweet. Hey Hunk! Something’s up with Keith and we’re gonna get the details!”

“Cool, cool. Does this mean dinner has to wait or-“

“Nah, he’s coming in here with us.”

Keith followed her back down the hallway and sat down heavily in one of their kitchen chairs. Hunk already had the various Chinese takeout cartons open and spread out on the table. He filled a plate quickly and handed it to Keith who took a bite of the food and watched his friends settle down as well.

“Alright, spill,” Pidge said around a mouthful of food.

“Well I went to the diner this afternoon like I usually do and apparently this guy had come in earlier and left a letter. Joe said that he’d talked to them and just wanted to leave it in case anyone wanted to read it. So Joe told me to take the letter and I thought that there was nothing wrong with at least reading it and apparently this guy has left letters in all of these places that he’s travelled to and says that whoever reads them is welcome to write back and send it to the P.O. Box listed at the end of the letter.”

“You totally wrote a letter to this guy, didn’t you?” Pidge asked, ruefully.

Keith felt himself flush and stared down at the plate in his hands. “I-yeah. I wrote him back and I feel ridiculous and stupid.”

“What’s the worst that could happen? He doesn’t write you back?” Hunk broke in. “Or, I suppose he could come and stalk your return address and be this weird creepy guy and we all get murdered in the middle of the night and all of our things get stolen.”

“Thank you, Hunk. For that wonderful mental image that makes me regret doing this even more.”

Pidge waved away his concern. “I’m sure nothing like that is going to happen. I do agree with the first part of what Hunk said in that the worst thing that could happen is you don’t get a reply. You didn’t even meet this guy in person anyway. He might not even be interested in exchanging letters. He might be under the assumption that no one is ever going to write him back so he leaves these letters as a form of therapy.”

“You could be right,” Keith said hesitantly. The thought of Shiro never writing him back made his heart feel heavy. He didn’t know what he expected from the interaction, but it was sort of thrilling: talking to someone who he’d never met before. The guy seemed nice in any case and Betty and Joe had liked him so that was reassuring.

“Of course I could be. I’m Pidge,” she said, shoving a spoonful of rice into her mouth.

Her voice pulled him back from his thoughts and he looked up at his friends. He didn’t have time to dwell on this now and would just have to put it out of his mind. Maybe he’d get a letter back and maybe he wouldn’t. There was no way of knowing just yet.

~~

As classes and university obligations picked up and Keith found himself bombarded with assignments, he quickly forgot about the letter and about Shiro. His first envelope that he’d picked up in the diner had gotten shoved somewhere in his desk or maybe it had ended up in the trash, but it wasn’t anywhere nearby he knew that.

Then the second letter came.

He’d just walked through the door of the apartment when a blur of green barrelled into him. He stumbled backwards and into the hard wood of the door.

“Ow! Pidge what the hell?!” he exclaimed, looking down at the person that was currently occupying his arms.

“Look! Look!” she said excitedly and shoved a letter into his face.

Keith glared at her, but took the envelope from her hands. The fact that it was addressed to him was obvious but the familiar scrawl had his eyes whipping to the top left-hand corner of the envelope where the address that he’d only written once before had been scratched out again.

“He wrote back?” he asked.

“Open it! Open it!” Pidge said excitedly.

“Why are you so excited about this?” he asked as he unconsciously held the envelope to his chest. It felt private somehow. Like whatever was inside belonged to him.

“Because, I want to know more about your mystery man.”

“You make it sound as though I’m having some sort of indecent affair with him,” Keith commented, pushing past her so he could walk over to the couch and sit.

“For all I know that’s what this could turn into,” she huffed, joining him on the couch.

He rolled his eyes and flipped the letter over, carefully sliding his finger under the flap to pull apart the adhesive. He was surprised that this letter seemed to be longer than the one before it, but he supposed that was to be expected when Shiro was writing to an actual person rather than the void, unsure if someone was even going to pick up his letter, let alone write back.

 

_31 August 2014_

_Dear Keith,_

_I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that I had a letter in my mailbox that wasn’t a bill or something else that I needed to take care of. I think part of the reason why you’re the first person to send me is a response might be that other people just haven’t noticed my letters and they remain where I’ve tacked them up, or people just aren’t interested enough to send me a response._

_Why did I start leaving letters? I don’t really know actually… I think part of it was being lonely. It wasn’t too long after I started travelling so I think I might have been missing my friends. I haven’t been the best at keeping in contact with them. They have their own lives and I’m trying to figure out my own. When I started, I was searching for something, too. I was lost in a way, unsure of how to move forward._

_I’m not sure if I’m oversharing with what I’m about to tell you. Well, write down and wait for you to read…but it all started five or sixth months ago I believe. My father died. He was in charge of a large corporation that’s been beyond successful. I hadn’t thought much of what I wanted to do after college and had already been out of school for almost a year. I’d been trying out different jobs, trying to find the right fit for me. It might not have been something I was entirely happy with, but as long as it wasn’t something I completely despised, I was okay for the moment._

_So, my father died and suddenly, there was this added pressure. Some sort of expectation that I needed to take over the company. Go into the family business and take over where he left off. My mom supported that idea and just started asking me all of these questions. It all freaked me out. For one thing, my father just died and I hadn’t even had time to grieve yet and was already being asked to make a huge life decision that would affect me for the rest of my life. I didn’t even know that much about the business! My father didn’t offer much information when he was at home and I never thought to ask because it always seemed like he would be there to take care of it and I’d be doing something else._

_Can you honestly say that if you were just a year out of college and suddenly expected to run a huge million-dollar business on your own, that you wouldn’t freak out a little bit? Sorry…I’m not trying to sound harsh or anything, I just get worked up and anxious whenever I have to think about it. It’s better if I don’t have to think about it. And it’s not like you’re the one who’s here trying to convince me to accept this position. I’d rather just leave it to the other business heads while I get more experience under my belt._

_I don’t think that I’m entirely against the possibility of heading this company, I’m just not sure that I’m ready for it yet._

_As for rambling on paper, I’m very sure that you can do it, because I don’t think I can call what I wrote anything other than rambling. And I do have an interest in you. You’re the first person to ever write me back, so how could I not be interested in the person behind the pen?_

_I can’t begin to imagine what circumstances you’ve been through if life hasn’t been that easy and what you’re searching for is a steady job to offer you some security. Do you want to take over a company? That’ll inflate your bank account really quickly. If you’re comfortable sharing, would you mind telling me more? I’d love to get an idea of who you are as a person and what makes you say the things you do. I’d really like to read anything that you have to say, even if it’s just something simple like how your day went or the asshole that cut you off while walking down the street._

_Write back soon._

_Please._

_Shiro_

Keith’s emotions came one after the other as he read through Shiro’s words. He felt sadness at the possibility that this kind man lost his father and then felt so lost himself that he needed to leave letters to strangers who might not even write back. His words were so brutally honest that they seemingly cut straight through his soul, hitting him in the most intimate way possible. And when Shiro had apologized for the tone that his writing took, he couldn’t blame him for being defensive. If anything, it was further proof how much he was hurting and scared of his future and what might happen if he made the wrong choice.

He flushed when he reached Shiro’s statement that he was interested in him and became aware of Pidge’s presence at his side, reading the words with him. He only hoped that she wouldn’t make a huge deal out of it. He didn’t want to have to deal with that kind of wrath, not to mention the fact that she would probably use the statement and information to embarrass him later on.

And then there was the fact that Shiro wanted to know more about him. That he’d so easily seen through Keith’s seemingly meaningless words and the hint of what really lay beneath it all. It was a vulnerable topic, but Shiro had bared his soul for him and given him details of his own situation. This was turning into a peculiar relationship indeed.

“So are you gonna do it?” Pidge asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

“Do what?” he asked.

“Write him back, of course!” she answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Of course I’m going to write him back,” Keith said, rolling his eyes. “I can’t just let his questions go unanswered, especially when he doesn’t have anyone else to talk to.”

Pidge gave him an analytical look and he had to repress a shiver that she was somehow sifting through his thoughts. “He has friends,” she said slowly.

“You read what he wrote. He hasn’t exactly been talking to them,” he huffed. Pidge looked at him again and he pushed himself to his feet. “I’ll be in my room if you need me,” he said without a backward glance.

Keith closed his door behind him and grabbed his notebook and a pen from his desk before settling down in the middle of his bed. He spread Shiro’s letter out in front of him and let his eyes roam over the neat writing. He sighed and flipped to a blank piece of paper. He had so many things that he wanted to put down, but didn’t know how to begin.

 

_3 September 2014_

_Dear Shiro,_

 

He tapped his pen against the paper, looking over those two words. It was just a simple greeting, but it felt like it already meant so much. There was so much of him. So much he could tell. But where should he start? And how much would Shiro really want to know? From what he’d read, Keith could tell that he was a kind-hearted person, or seemed kind-hearted. But how far did that actually extend? What if there were things that he couldn’t find himself accepting about Keith? What if he rejected him for the experiences that he’d gone through or rejected parts of him?

He guessed that’s why he should share. Perhaps it was time to brush off the fear of opening up to someone else and just let it happen. And if it did all go horribly wrong, the chances of Keith meeting Shiro in person were incredibly slim and the only thing he would be missing would be a letter and the possibility of a new acquaintance. Keith wasn’t ready to consider him a friend yet. They’d only exchanged two letters after all.

 With a sigh he started writing.

 

_I’m sorry to hear about your dad. I don’t know what else I can offer, but I think that I can kind of understand the pain that you must be experiencing. Especially since no one really gave you time to grieve properly._

_I’m glad that you trusted me enough to share such personal details and I can honestly say that if I was faced with the prospect of taking over a million-dollar company with so little work or business experience, I would be scared shitless. That honestly sounds like a nightmare. The money would be good, but doing that all on your own? Without having any support? I couldn’t imagine anything worse._

_Your mom sounds like she’s invested in the company. Is there any way that she could handle the business dealings in your place? Possibly have her run it until you have decent work experience or feel ready to take over?_

_I do think that you should get in contact with your friends. If you were missing them, then they were probably missing you just as much. And no matter what they’re doing with their lives, I’m sure they’d love to hear from you._

_I think that we’ve both already agreed that rambling on paper is possible. And since you were kind enough to answer my questions and give me an idea of who you are, I’ll try and do the same. If I can get my thoughts organized enough to put anything down on paper._

_For most of my life, I grew up on my own. I lost my parents when I was pretty young. My mom first, and then my dad. I have more memories of my dad since his death happened when I was a little older. From there I was taken into the system. First, it was the orphanage. I wasn’t at the first one too long before I got in trouble and had to be moved. I didn’t really have any friends in either of those places before I was taken into foster care._

_The system was constantly shifting me around because I’d get in trouble at whatever school I was at or the people I was living with didn’t like me. They wanted me to be more involved, but I found it hard to think of them as my family when I already had my family. I wasn’t sure how to adapt after losing both of my parents. My whole world was upended because I didn’t have anything else to orient myself with._

Keith hesitated, wondering if he should really go into detail about all of his experiences. He sighed. He was already this far into his shitty childhood, might as well go all the way and send Shiro screaming for the hills.

_And then there were the homophobic assholes I got placed with. That obviously didn’t become a problem until I was a teenager and realized I was gay, but some people weren’t too happy when they found out. After it happened a couple of times I tried to be discreet. I never brought boys home or anything since I never had a boyfriend, but they somehow always knew I guess._

_It wasn’t until I aged out of the system that things changed for the better. I got a job and started working my way through college and thankfully met my current roommates: Hunk and Pidge. I have less of a financial burden and great friends to be around. I’m just waiting to finish my degree this year and then I can get to work and finish paying off school._

_That’s really all there is to me, I guess. Hopefully I haven’t scared you off with all of this wonderful and pleasant information about my life._

_Keith_

He folded the paper three times and pushed himself out of bed to grab an envelope from his desk. He only had a few left and would need to stock up on more stamps, too. He grabbed Shiro’s letter and scratched out the address to his P.O. Box before stuffing the sheet of paper inside and sealing it shut. He wrote out his return address and stuck a stamp onto the envelope before grabbing his keys and hurrying through his bedroom door and to their apartment door.

“Did you write back?” Pidge asked, perking up from where she’d been moping on the couch.

“Yeah, I’ll be back in a couple of minutes,” he said.

“Keith’s got a boyfriend! Keith’s got a boyfriend!” she snickered.

“Shut up, Pidge! He’s not my boyfriend.”

“What is he, then?” she challenged.

“Just someone who I write to, that’s it. We barely know each other, anyway.”

“But you waNT TO GET TO KNOW HIM BETTER!” she shouted as he shut the door on her. If only the wood had been thick enough to block out her voice. Just because he wanted to get to know him better, didn’t mean anything more than that. He had his friends and that was enough for him.

~~

The third letter came with much less ceremony than the last two. It was actually Hunk who handed it over to Keith this time, even though Pidge had done nothing short of practically recount everything surrounding the last letter. She’d even run into Keith’s room and grabbed it from his bed before he could stop her in order to show Hunk. Keith had been a little annoyed at that since it was something close to Shiro and he assumed that he didn’t want everyone to know about his personal struggles or what he was going through. Keith knew that he wouldn’t want Shiro showing his letter to all of his friends.

“This came in the mail for you today. Don’t worry, I haven’t let Pidge anywhere near it since she was gone this morning when it came. I’m sure she’s going to be pretty disappointed when she finds out that you got another letter and didn’t show her. Make sure to keep it in a safe place so she can’t find it. Or keep your door locked. Actually…do both. This is Pidge we’re talking about,” Hunk said with a fond smile.

“Thanks, Hunk. And if Pidge does anything that we expect of her, she’ll probably manage to create a device that can manage to detect letters and find this wherever I hide it,” he said, laughing. He looked down at the envelope, wanting to rip it open and pour over the words that Shiro had written back at him. Delve into what he’d decided to share this time and if it was as heart-breaking as the last.

Or maybe it was him deciding that he didn’t want to write to Keith anymore because of what he’d told him in his last letter. He felt his nerves bubble up again and his old fears re-emerge. They’d been mostly silent once he’d put his letter out of his mind. And even when he had thought about when he might hear back, he hadn’t fixated on the contents of his own letter, simply wondered what Shiro was going to tell him and if he’d share tales of his travels.

“Go and open it,” Hunk said, pulling him from his thoughts. “I know that you want to and I’m sure that whatever he wrote is going to be fine.”

Keith looked up at Hunk who was watching him closely and looking slightly exasperated. He smiled at his friend. “Thanks, Hunk.”

Hunk waved him off and turned back to the kitchen. “Dinner should be ready in about an hour when Pidge gets back from her lab so you might want to be done by then or at least have found a sufficient hiding place for it.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll find somewhere to keep it,” he threw over his shoulder as he headed to his room. He shut hid door behind him softly and toed off his boots, setting his backpack down next to them. As was quickly becoming the norm with Shiro’s letters, he grabbed his notebook and a pen and settled himself down in the middle of his bed, legs crossed, and letter held tightly in his hands.

He took a deep breath and flipped it over, making quick work of where it was sealed. Keith pulled the sheet of paper out and undid the folds, looking over Shiro’s neat handwriting once again, happy that it was long and looked less like a rejection and more a general sharing of information.

 

_13 September 2014_

_Dear Keith,_

_Exactly! I’m glad someone understands how intimidating it can be being offered a huge company to run when I’m still so young. I know that I’ve been pretty good at excelling in school and have high achievements that my parents had no problems boasting about, but even though I’ve done so well in the past, I can’t always be expected to be perfect and take on new challenges without batting an eye. Maybe if I had you here with me it wouldn’t be so bad. I think the two of us could make a pretty good team running the company._

_Right now my mom is working on running the company since I’ve been off doing my own thing and trying to work through everything that I need to. The last time that we spoke to each other, which was right after I read your letter, she was fine with taking on the responsibilities at the moment, but she still expects me to come around and take up my father’s position sooner, rather than later._

_I also decided to get into contact with my friends after your urging and I’m really glad that I did. They were, unsurprisingly, really mad at me for taking so long to talk to them, but they’re also really happy that I’m actually taking some time for myself after my dad’s death. I hope you don’t mind, but I told them about you and the letters that we’ve been sending back and forth. I don’t know about you, but the short communication that we’ve had so far has been helpful for me in moving forward and taking on the challenges that I’ve needed to face._

_My friends-Allura and Coran-think that what you’re doing is good and can tell that it’s helping me even if they are a little suspicious of this stranger that I’m writing to. I managed to put a few of their worries at ease when I told them that you only knew the address to my P.O. Box and no other incriminating information about me so I’m really hoping that you don’t turn out to be a mass-murdering stalker, because I don’t feel like being lectured by those two after I die._

Keith laughed at Shiro’s easy humor, only then realizing that reading his words had brought a smile to his face. One that quickly disappeared when he moved on to the next topic.

 

_Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me some of the details of your upbringing. I can’t imagine what it was like being raised in the system and being forced to move between so many families at such different ages. And the fact that people didn’t want you because of who you are, both personality and sexuality-wise._

_When is the day going to come when people don’t have to keep that a secret? Why can’t we all just live our lives how we want without worrying about being discriminated against? It’s honestly so unjust and probably why I was unhappy during some of my teen years._

Keith’s heartrate picked up as he read over Shiro’s words. He didn’t want to let himself believe for one minute that what he was implying was actually true, but you didn’t live the life that Keith did and not learn to read between the lines.

 

_As you may have guessed, I’m also gay. I was worried about coming out to my family for years because being Asian and being gay is something that’s looked down upon, I guess? It’s a different kind of homophobia that’s rooted in the pressures of marrying a woman and having kids in order to further the family name._

_When I finally came out to my family, I could tell that they were hesitant to accept it at first, but did manage to put their prejudices and expectations aside for me. I told them that if they were that concerned about having grandkids that wasn’t entirely out of the question even though I’m not sure I’ll ever really be ready to have a family, especially with how scared the idea of taking over my dad’s company makes me._

_Keith, I’m sure there’s more to you than just what you’ve told me. If that was all, I doubt that you would’ve taken the chance to write me back and continued to write to me. Hell, if that was all, you probably wouldn’t even be reading this now. And if you even begin to think that what you’ve told me is going to scare me off, then you’ve got another thing coming. I’ve finally got someone who I feel I can tell anything to and there’s no way I’m just going to give you up that easily._

_Plus, I want to know what else is hiding behind your tight-lipped nature. I may have some of the details on what your childhood was like, but I’d like to know more about what you do in your free time. Maybe what your favorite movie or T.V. show is or if you did something fun with your friends (who sound like great people by the way)._

_Your letters have become the reason that I’ve made regular trips to my P.O. Box and spent shorter periods of time travelling. I’ll be waiting for your reply._

_Shiro_

Keith stared at the paper in front of him until the words blurred together because he wasn’t focusing on them anymore. He wasn’t sure if this letter was longer than the last one or not, but it definitely held a certain amount of feeling and importance above the others. Shiro had accepted Keith. He didn’t know everything about him, but his upbringing in the system and his sexuality hadn’t been issues for him. He’d practically taken them in stride, from what Keith could tell from a letter anyway, and had even been honest enough to share his own orientation.

He scrambled to flip his notebook open to a clean page and ripped the pen cap off of his pen, heedless of where it was flung in the process. He wished that he had a quicker way of contacting Shiro, because he really wanted to hear back from him a lot sooner than what it normally took for their communications to go back and forth.

 

_17 September 2014_

_Dear Shiro,_

_I’m glad that things are going good for you right now. And that you got into contact with your friends. I’m sure that my friends would be mad at me too if I just decided to fuck off to who knows where and not let them know where I was going or what I was doing. And I don’t mind that you told them about me, my friends know about you, too. And I can guarantee, although I’m not sure how credible this will be coming from someone who’ve you’ve never met, that I am not a murdering stalker. I am but a lowly college student trying to graduate and get a job._

_And if you want to partner up and run your dad’s company together, I’d be more than happy to have a steady source of income as long as I wouldn’t be doing everything myself and could equally share the blame with someone else if things were suddenly to go wrong. Not that I’m saying they would, I think I’m pretty responsible, but unexpected things always have a chance of happening. (I’m not selling myself too well, am I?)_

_I don’t really have a favorite movie, but I like to watch anything sci-fi and space related and scary movies. I usually can’t convince Pidge or Hunk to watch scary movies with me, but they’re both always up for sci-fi which means that whenever Halloween rolls around, I do my best to hog the T.V. and watch as many movies that are being aired as possible, even if a lot of them are older ones or B-rated films that really aren’t good at all._

_Since I didn’t have a lot of money as a kid and the foster families that I was with couldn’t really spend large amounts of money on each of the children they had in their care, I tried finding the least expensive hobbies possible. And that happened to be getting a library card and going through as many books that I could get my hands on as possible. I don’t have a large library of my own, but I still check-out books a lot when I have time that’s not dedicated to my homework assignments._

_What about you? What do you like to do? Besides travel and run away from the responsibilities that life and people have forced onto you without your consent._

_As much as I enjoy reading your handwritten letters, I can’t help but wonder if you’re just as impatient as I am when it comes to receiving a reply. I know that you said waiting for my letters is what drives you to return home, but would you be against a faster form of communication? Say, email? I know it’s probably not quite as personal, but it would also keep my friend, Pidge, from snooping around what you write to me and trying to take the envelopes from me. (I love her to death, but she can be a bit of a menace sometimes._

_Anyway, if you want to communicate faster, I’m going to leave my email at the bottom of this letter and you’re more than welcome to contact me that way after you get this._

_Keith_

He sat back and looked over everything that he’d written. True, it may have been a bit forward of him to propose something like that, but he couldn’t help but think that the two of them already knew each other so well. He just hoped that this didn’t play into the murdering, stalker type that Shiro’s friends thought he was.

“Keith you better not be asleep! Hunk says dinner’s just about ready so get your ass out-“

Keith looked up as his door got shoved open, leaving Pidge to stop in mid-sentence with a hand on her hip, looking at him. Her eyes widened slightly before narrowing.

“You got another letter and you didn’t tell me?!”

“Shit.” Keith scrambled to collect his own letter and what Shiro had given him as Pidge made to leap onto his bed and take the papers from his hands. He fell out of his bed and hit the floor with all the grace of a new-born giraffe on roller skates and pushed himself to his feet to run from the room, seconds ahead of Pidge.

“Come on, Keith! Don’t be like that! I only want to see what your boyfriend wrote you back!”

He raced into the kitchen and around the dining table, facing off with Pidge where she stopped across from him. “No way in hell. And he’s not my boyfriend.”

“I told you to hide that before she got back,” Hunk grumbled from where he was pulling a glass casserole dish from the oven.

“Hunk knew?! Why didn’t you tell me??” she whined.

“Because it’s none of your business,” Keith said, quickly folding up the letters and stuffing them down his shirt.

Pidge growled before sprinting around the side of the table. Keith evaded her easily and ran back towards the living room, vaulting over the couch and sprinting down the hallway back to his bedroom. He heard Pidge curse behind him, but was fast enough to lock his door behind him to keep her out.

“You can try and wait me out in there, Keith, but I _will_ read those letters if it’s the last thing that I do,” she said, rattling the door handle.

Keith laughed, a little hysterically if he was being honest, but he was more amused by the whole ridiculousness of this situation. Shiro as his boyfriend, huh? He shook his head. There was no way that was going to happen, regardless of whether the idea appealed to him or not.

“I’m going to eat this casserole whether you’re out here or not so if you want it, sit your asses down at this table,” Hunk called from the kitchen.

Keith grinned and pushed off the door. Now he just needed to find a place where Pidge wouldn’t think to look…

~~

After sending off the previous letters, Keith had been able to forget about them and move on with his life. He’d gotten back to school and his job and life had gone on as it normally did. Even Pidge became more reserved during these periods because she didn’t have something new to pester Keith about. Although after the last letter that he’d gotten, she’d been ruthless in trying to find where he’d stashed them. She’d still been unsuccessful and he was pretty proud of being able to keep her out of them. What was in those letters was between him and Shiro and he didn’t think anyone else should see the words and details that he was trusting Keith with.

This time, he was nervous. He didn’t know if he should expect to get a handwritten letter back or if something was going to pop up in his inbox. More often than not, he’d inadvertently end up staring at his empty inbox, not really seeing it, but sort of waiting for something to appear. Only when he’d resolutely come to the decision that he was going to stop doing that, was he met with a relieved sight.

 

_Takashi Shirogane_

_2:33 PM 30 September 2014_

_Dear Keith,_

_I was a little surprised by your request to switch over to email because I never thought that someone else could be as invested in these letters as I was, but I was actually really pleased. It would always make me nervous with how long it took me to get around to reading and responding to your letters. I was worried that I would miss one or it would get taken or maybe you would think that I was ignoring you and didn’t actually want to talk to you. And this way, too, I can access my email wherever I go and stay connected with you._

_Did that sound creepy? I hope that didn’t sound creepy. I’m really trying not to be right now. And I think that it’s safe for me to assume that you are not, in fact, a murdering stalker, which my friends and I both appreciate very much._

_I also wouldn’t mind running my dad’s company if I had a partner with you by my side. I may not know anything about your qualifications or work experience, but you seem like a hard worker in any case and it would make things so much easier to have someone who I trust and could confide in without having to seem like I’m in utter control of anything. Because anyone who say’s they are in control of everything that’s going on in their life at all times is a liar!_

_I do love sci-fi movies. I’m willing to give a scary movie or horror flick a try, but more often than not I’d just rather not watch them. I guess Halloween is sort of an exception though, because it just seems necessary. How could you go through the month of October and not watch at least one horror movie that was being aired on T.V. when they’re practically on all of the channels? The B-rated films are always good for a laugh anyway if you don’t want to watch something too scary._

_What do I like to do? I like to go stargazing or camping. It’s nice to get out of the city and look up at the sky and see all of the little points of light that are just shining down on us. It’s amazing to think about how far that light has had to travel to reach us and the possibility that the stars that it’s come from may not exist anymore._

_I also like to read. I had access to a pretty big library at home as a kid, but I liked going to the library, too. It had more of the books that I was actually interested in and not just what my parents thought was suitable to provide the house with. A lot of times I asked for books for Christmas too and started to build up my own personal library that I could go back to whenever I wanted._

_Travelling has been such a great experience for me. It’s something that I genuinely think I needed to do with all of the pressure that built up and I know I’m probably just repeating myself at this point. If you’re able, I think that you should go on a trip. Even if it’s just a short one to a different city or state. Give yourself a chance to experience things before you have to start working. Or get a job that will let you travel and gain those experiences even as you make money._

_If Pidge does manage to get her hands on my letters, I’m okay with that. Yes, there is some personal information in there about me, but I trust you and she is your friend. I think it would be worse if you were posting everything that I’ve written online or sharing it with the world. You’re not right? I don’t mean to doubt you or your integrity, but you did say that you weren’t a murdering stalker. You didn’t alleviate my worries about anything else that you might do._

_I hope to hear from you soon._

_Shiro_

Keith smiled as he reached the end of Shiro’s email. He tucked his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling, taking a moment to just appreciate that he got to talk to this man and joke with him and write to him about his life and what was going on with him. And that he got to listen to and read about Shiro’s experiences. He thought about everything that had already happened this semester and that more often than not, the thought of Shiro and hearing from him, helped to keep his stress in check and gave him a point in the future to look forward to and not just the looming thought of graduation in May.

Smiling, Keith leaned forward and began typing out his reply.

 

_Keith_

_4:30 PM 30 September 2014_

_Dear Shiro,_

_I really didn’t think about the possibility of your letters getting lost or my letters getting lost for that matter. It is reassuring that you don’t need to worry about getting back to your P.O. Box to see if you’ve gotten a response from me now. Although, I’d hate to think that my letters were the only reason that you were going home at all. You shouldn’t feel the need to shut everyone out while you work through your own feelings. Trust me when I say that it won’t get you anywhere good, especially if you push your friends away._

_Do I need to reassure you yet again that I’m not a murdering stalker? Because I’m not a murdering stalker. And your letters are safely tucked away in a spot that Pidge has not managed to find over the past two weeks. She’s still looking and is determined to find them, but I’m not about to let her._

_I agree that no one could possibly be in control of their life at all times. I am envious of those people who seem to have everything about their life in order. That would be a nice change and feeling secure in life always helps._

_Did you just offer me a job? Because I’m not sure how I feel about that. I mean, I wouldn’t mind coming out of college with a job lined up, but immediately stepping into the role at the top of a company with no business experience…isn’t that a little much? You did say yourself that you didn’t feel like you have the necessary experience either so I guess if anything, two people who don’t know what the hell they’re doing is bound to be better than one. We can have mutual freak-outs over the state of affairs together._

_Do you really trust me? I know that we’ve shared some deep parts of ourselves that not many people have learned or know about, but beyond that we don’t know much about each other. I suppose these letters are rectifying that situation…_

_I guess I’m glad. That you feel like you can trust me. I think that I trust you too. As weird as this whole situation is. This weird situation that’s becoming less weird._

_Okay, I take it back. We should go back to handwriting things, because my rambling is worse when I can type then when I’m writing things out with a pen and paper. And I can’t bring myself to delete some of the things that I’m typing even though I probably should._

_Stargazing sounds like a dream. I’ve never managed to go camping but the few stars that can be seen sometimes during the summer are always great to stare at. I’m sure the sight is absolutely incredible when you’re out in the middle of the forest. Maybe that can be something that I do instead of the whole travelling thing._

_Would I be able to travel as co-CEO of your family company? That might be a little extra incentive to get me to accept the job. And then we could put aside the electronic correspondence for good. Mostly. I’m sure we’d still have to send emails in the workplace, but you know what I mean._

_What’s your view like? What are you looking at right now? Have you been able to see the stars recently or are you in the middle of a bustling city that keeps everything illuminated even when the Sun goes down?_

_Keith_

He sat back and hit send, comfortable enough at this point to not even bother reading over it to check for any mistakes that he might’ve made. He felt that Shiro would forgive him in any case and would end up making some of his own at some point in the future. He exited out of his email and pulled his backpack over to himself. It was time that he got started on his homework and with two weeks until mid-terms, he needed to stay on top of everything as much as possible.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_12:30 AM 5 October 2014_

_Dear Keith,_

_Sorry that it’s been a few days since I got your email. I didn’t have access to wi-fi unless I wanted to pay for it and I wasn’t about to do that no matter how desperate I was to read over your email and respond to what you had to say._

_Right now, I am looking out over a small town. The houses or no bigger than two floors and the road is a narrow, paved lane that small cars are barely big enough to pass each other on. Children were playing in the street under the sunset earlier and kicking a ball back and forth, but they’ve all long gone to bed to get some rest before the next day. The street lamps are dull and have moths flying around their orange glow. Luckily, the beams aren’t powerful enough and I can still get a pretty good view of the stars, although it’s still not as great as what I’ve seen while camping._

_I’m doing my best to keep my friends close, so please don’t worry. I call them when I can. I just don’t get to visit and won’t get to go out to eat with them for a while. I hate to think of where you must’ve been in life to push your friends or those around you away. I’m sorry, even though I don’t know what I’m apologizing for._

_Now that I’ve seen this side of you, I don’t think that I’d be able to go back to handwriting things. You seemed pretty flustered after your rambling and I can’t help but wonder if that’s a reflection of who you actually are. Maybe one day I’ll be able to find out. Maybe we can both run the company together. It seems less scary and less like a challenge with the thought of you there. And you probably would be able to travel with that kind of job._

_We could travel together. I could show you some of my favorite places that I’ve been, too. We could go camping and stargazing and I could teach you all about the constellations. When I was a kid, I used to want to be an astronaut. Have I told you this already? I don’t know, but I’m going to tell you anyway. When I was a little kid, I wanted to be an astronaut._

_I thought that I could go out and explore space and it would be wonderful and magical and the best job in the world. I fell in love with that side of science in school and studied it whenever I could. I would read books and look up articles about the latest technology. It was all so cool and I wanted to share it with everyone. But being an astronaut is not always what the parents want and it wasn’t what my parents had in mind for me._

_So I’m not an astronaut. I’m a traveller. I’m trying to figure out who I am and I think that I’m coming a little bit closer with each letter that I send to you and each letter that I get back. Well, email now. It’s hard to believe that it’s already October. Halloween is coming up at the end of the month. Have you started watching any of the horror movies that have been shown on T.V.? I haven’t. Haven’t really had much access to T.V._

_But it’s been nice. Nice to unplug and get away from it all and just focus on contacting you when I had the chance and got around to finding a computer._

_I do trust you. And I look forward to your letters. Even if you were my co-CEO, I think that I would still email. Or maybe I’d go back to handwritten correspondence and leave the letters on your desk. I would know that they would make it to you that way. And then we could grab some coffee. Or share a lunch break._

_I can almost visualize the two of us sitting in one of our offices and panicking. No one else would know. They’d probably just think that we’re having a meeting, but we’re really sitting around, crying and eating ice cream. Will you let me hire you now? Because I wouldn’t mind turning this into a reality._

_I’ve told you what my view is like, but what’s yours? Have you made it back to the diner recently? I hope that Betty and Joe are doing well. I’d love to come back and visit with them one day and thank them for convincing you to take the letter and write me back._

_All the best,_

_Shiro_

_Keith_

_10:59 PM EST 8 October 2014_

_Dear Shiro,_

_It’s been a few days for me since I read your email and you’ll know why when I let you know what my view has been like. I’ve been met with nothing but the inside of textbooks and my handwritten notes that have been scratched into notebooks. I’ve been working to dissect everything and commit it to memory now that mid-terms are coming up. There have been a few times when I’ve manged to pull my head out of the books and from my studies and appreciated the colors that are coming to life now that autumn is in full swing._

_I haven’t had as much time to watch horror movies as I would like, but I’m able to squeeze in one every now and then when I’ve got a chance during the weekend or want to take a break from my mid-terms._

_I fear that the topic of me becoming one of the CEOs of your family’s company is going to maintain itself as a staple in our emails. I’m not complaining, but just send the paperwork my way and I can have it back to you pretty quickly. The earliest I’ll be able to start is the end of May so if you need to interview me at any time, we have about half a year to have that arranged._

_I would need to know your intentions rather soon, however. I’m thinking about getting a second job to make a little more money and ensure that I have the funds to establish myself when I do graduate. It’s not too much work and I’m not as stressed I could be seeing as it is my last year of school. I just want to be able to pay the initial rent and deposit on whatever apartment I decide to get, if I don’t continue living in the same one I have been. I’ll also need money if I have to move and buy furniture and clothes. Those suits don’t exactly come cheap._

_I’m glad that you’re staying in contact with your friends. I’d love to meet them some day. And the more you talk about the two of us in the office together, the more I picture myself and some faceless person crying. It’s not the most reassuring picture, but it’s what I’ve got to work with and I’m sure that you have the same dilemma._

_You don’t have any reason to apologize for the events that are in the past. They’re locked in time and they don’t have any power over me anymore. I’ve come this far in life and I’m entirely happy with where I’ve gotten._

_And I have gone back to the diner. I go there at least once a week and pay them a visit. They’re pleased that I’ve been in contact with you and they would appreciate it if you ever did decide to pay them a visit again, but they understand that you’re busy traveling the world and probably don’t have much time for two small-time restaurant owners. I tried to tell them that they were wrong, but they wouldn’t believe me._

_How often do you move from place to place? How often does your view change? Have you been able to look at the stars recently? I wouldn’t mind being educated on the constellations one of these days, but I might not have the chance to swing a camping trip until after I graduate. Which is where you come in Shiro, I need to know if I need to start planning for some big move as a new CEO._

_Your friend(?)_

_Keith_

Keith smiled and hit send before returning to the various books that he’d spread out over his bed. This studying wasn’t going to get done by itself and he needed to maintain his grades even though it was his last year. Especially if he was suddenly going to become a CEO of a company that he knew nothing about.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_12:30 AM EST 19 October 2014_

_Dear Keith,_

_I know that the hour that I’m finally able to respond to your email is utterly ridiculous and it’s been far too long since you wrote me. I hope that you didn’t think that I’d forgotten you, because I haven’t. Far from it. I just have not been able to get wi-fi or access to a computer. I had to stay up to a ridiculous hour to use one at the hostel that I’m staying at since so many people needed to use it before me. I don’t know what they were all doing, but I’m sitting alone in a common area right now and enjoying that I can finally write you back._

_My view has changed a few times since I last wrote. I moved from the small town that I was in before to a different small town and now I’m back in a large city. It was a little overwhelming to come back to a place that’s so densely populated, but this environment is reminiscent of home so I was able to adapt rather quickly. I have plans to make my way back towards my home and swing through to join my friends for dinner. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them and they’ve been very vocal about how much they miss me. And I miss them just as much._

_I have the same image in my head as you described when I think of the two of us as co-CEOs. I can see my face rather quickly, but I’m with a faceless person. I don’t even have any idea of how to picture your clothes and what you might like to wear. So when I imagine it, it’s sort of like I can see myself clearly in a black suit, but I’m with this imageless blob that’s person-shaped. Probably not the most flattering thing for you to hear, but I could probably say worse._

_I haven’t been able to do much stargazing, but I’m hoping that after I pass through my own city, I can head out and go camping for a few days. Now that it’s getting colder, I want to spend some time under the stars and next to a fire. I want to eat pre-packaged, dehydrated food and make s’mores. I want to sleep in a sleeping bag on the ground and listen to the sounds of nature around me._

_I’ll work on scheduling that job interview for you as well. I hope that your mid-terms went well and that you’re handling your new job well. I’d rather you not experience any more stress than you have to, but that’s not always possible. I’m sure that by the time you graduate and get a new job, you’ll have more than enough money to establish yourself in a new place if you find yourself in that type of situation._

_Can you believe that it’s been two months since our first correspondence? I’m amazed that we’ve come this far. Here’s to many more letters to come. I would look forward to visiting your city again and going to that diner. Maybe this time, we’ll end up there at the same time and be able to have a conversation in person. We could share a meal and talk to the owners and I could tell them that I’m glad that I was able to make it back. Maybe I can swing back through in a couple of months, when I’m sure my travels will inevitably come to an end._

_I trust the statements that you’ve made that you’re not a murdering stalker so I’m going to go out on a limb here and attach a recent-ish photo of myself so that you have a face to put to the image of the two of us running a company together. Please don’t use it for any illegal activities or get me in trouble. I’m trusting you here, Keith._

_Your friend,_

_Shiro_

Keith’s breath caught as he scrolled down to the bottom of the email. Shiro was nothing how he pictured him to be. He was handsome and young. It was strange, because he knew that Shiro was only a little older than him, but not having a face to put to the words just made everything less concrete. But now that he knew what he looked like, he wouldn’t mind seeing him every day at work or having coffee and lunch breaks together.

And the fact that they’d been emailing for two months already. It didn’t feel like that long, but at the same time, they’d learned so much about each other that it was difficult to process the passage of time that had occurred. The more that the two of them emailed, the more a thought and a desire began to bloom at the back of Keith’s mind. And this picture only cemented it.

He wanted to see the same things that Shiro saw. He wanted to run into him and meet him. He wanted to travel with him and get a lesson about constellations from him. He wanted to go traveling with him and go camping with him. He wouldn’t even mind working with him, especially if he wasn’t thrust into such an important leadership role. He just wanted Shiro. Wanted to spend more time with him. And he had some suspicions about how to make it happen.

He just wished he knew whether or not Shiro actually wanted the same things as him. It was all well and good that he thought they could work together, but when it really came down to it, Keith knew that he was only joking about offering him a position in his family’s company. He shut his computer and pushed it to the side. He’d need a few days to think about things before he emailed him back.

~~

The few days that Keith had been expecting to need, turned into a little over a week. He was conflicted with making Shiro wait so long, but he wanted to make sure that he was coming from a genuine place. It wasn’t often that he formed an attachment with people, and doing so as quickly as he had… It was surprising. And a little terrifying. But he had a great pair of friends who were willing to listen to him as he worked through his thoughts and give their own opinions on what he should do.

And Pidge wasn’t afraid to immediately start teasing him once she learned about the development. Hell, she’d wanted it from the very beginning.

It was why Keith was finally seated in front of his computer again, the email that Shiro had last sent him still there unanswered.

_Keith_

_29 October 2014 7:30 PM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_Sorry that it took me so long to get back to you. I had some personal things that I had to work through and wanted to be sure of where I stood before focusing my energies on anything else. Don’t worry, it’s not anything bad…I was just surprised by it myself and needed to address it before it got out of my control._

_I’m glad that you no longer think of me as a murdering stalker. That’s reassuring. And I appreciate that you decided to send me a picture. I’ve attached mine to the bottom of this email. The best one I had anyway. When Pidge found out we were sharing pictures, she wanted to take a new one for me, but I turned her down. I thought that taking one just for you wouldn’t make it as natural. Which is strange to consider when it’s just a picture._

_Things are going well. Mid-terms were a breeze. Surprisingly. My new job hasn’t been getting in the way either. I’ve been able to manage both of them and my school work and have been more than happy with the added pay. So have Hunk and Pidge. I bought us all drinks when I got my first paycheck. I thought that it couldn’t hurt to splurge a little right now and it had been a while since we did something so fun together._

_I’m not gonna lie to you, Shiro. Even though I was debating on whether or not I should tell you this, I didn’t want to keep it from you. I know that sounds really ominous and I’m sorry for that, but I didn’t want to be burdened with it either. When you were talking in your last letter about chatting over coffee at work or going camping and making s’mores while stargazing in the woods, it made me realize something._

_It made me realize that even though we haven’t known each other for very long, I think that we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well. And I realized that I want to do those things with you. I want to experience the woods and look at the stars and get to know you in person. The letters have been great and they’ve proven to be something more than a little meaningful. They’ve brightened my days and made the world seem a little less terrifying._

_I’m sorry if this weirds you out and I understand if you don’t want to exchange emails anymore, but you’ve come to mean a lot to me Shiro and I’d like to keep talking to you._

_Your friend (still, I hope),_

_Keith_

He hit send before he could stop himself or risk chickening out. It was done and he could rest easy for the moment. He’d probably just ruined the one new friendship that he’d ever make, but he was fine. It was okay. It was all part of life. He just had to remind himself of that. He sighed and turned back to his homework. Any distractions that he could find would be more than helpful as he waited to never get another email from Shiro again.

~~

Keith thought the first week that passed was forgivable. He’d not only dropped a large bomb on Shiro, but had taken over a week to respond himself. He’d give him just as much time. When that week extended into two, his hope began to dwindle, but he didn’t let himself send another email. He was going to respect Shiro’s decision and if that was to cut ties cold turkey without a word then that was fine. He could deal with it.

Pidge asked after Shiro more than Hunk did, wanting to know what his response was. Each time she asked, Keith would have to tell her that he hadn’t heard back yet. Those moments were the worst because Pidge got this look on her face that was a mixture of sadness and apology. Sometimes he could brush it off easily if he was having a good day. Other times he had to go to his room and just lie down for a bit hoping that the pain would finally go away, but it never seemed to lessen.

The pain of losing someone who he’d become so close to didn’t dwindle, but his hope did. He stopped checking his email. Stopped waiting. It was why he was so surprised when a response actually did come. Keith thought that his heart had stopped in his chest. Thought that he might be dreaming. He pinched the skin on his arm and when he was sure that he wasn’t dreaming, and clicked on the email with shaking hands.

_Takashi Shirogane_

_27 November 2014 6:30 AM EST_

_Dear Keith,_

_I’m sorry that it’s been so long. I didn’t mean for so much time to pass, but I didn’t want to respond until I had thought over what you told me extensively. I didn’t think that it was fair to you to continue when I wasn’t certain how I felt about the situation. And now I realize since so much time has passed (29 days if you weren’t aware), I’m probably sending you through another form of emotional turmoil._

_I have no idea what you’re thinking. And I don’t mean that in a condescending way or referring to what you told me in your last email. I mean that genuinely. I cannot imagine what you must be thinking in this moment as you read over these words. I have thought over them. I have chosen what I wanted to say and I worried. Before and after I sent this off._

_I also realized when I opened my email to start writing this message that you’re receiving this on Thanksgiving. And I want to let you know that I’m thankful that you’ve come into my life. You were the first person to respond to one of my letters and I never expected us to grow so much or get to know each other so well._

_The fact that you want to spend time with me and do all those things that I talked about…I didn’t believe it at first. I thought this was some big joke that was being played on me, because there was no way that someone as loyal and kind and steadfast and as cute as you could ever find someone like me interesting. There was just no way. I didn’t want to believe it._

_And I guess that’s part of the reason why it took me so long to respond._

_Looking back over our emails, I suppose that I kept things light-hearted on purpose. Even though I was extending job offers to you and telling you that it would be great to work together, I knew that I couldn’t let myself be dragged along by those things. I couldn’t let myself be caught up in them because I knew that they would probably never happen. I would be left alone. The things that I put my hope and energy in would crumble to dust before my very eyes._

_But…I felt hopeful when I read your email. Strange, right? I felt hopeful and an overwhelming rush of emotion but it took me almost a month to email you back. Probably not the most reassuring reaction and I’m sorry for that, but I hope that you can forgive me for wanting to make sure._

_I…want to do those things with you, too. I want to teach you about the constellations and I want us to be able to go out for coffee or maybe even a movie. I want to be able to take a picture with you and for it to be real like you said instead of forced like you were afraid of. I’d really be happy with any kind of picture that you send me. Whether you like it or not because it would be of you and it would give me a chance to get to know you even a little bit better._

_This is one of the few Thanksgivings that I haven’t spent with my family and as I watch the sky slowly lighten and turn purple and orange as the Sun peeks over the horizon, I’m okay with that. Because right now, I’m sending you this email which you hopefully won’t hate me for since it’s so delayed. I’m thankful that you’ve come into my life and I’m thankful that I can stay in yours, if you’ll have me._

_I hope that you’re able to stay close to your friends today and that you eat good food. I hope that you sleep well and that everything works out with classes and your jobs. And I hope that maybe, just maybe, we can meet some day. Meet without the fear of what may happen between us and that it’s on good terms. We don’t have to work together and it doesn’t have to be anything more than that, but I wouldn’t mind buying you a coffee or a meal._

_I’ll be looking forward to your response. I’ll accept any and all yelling you do at me, because I honestly feel like I deserve a little bit after taking so long. And if you decide to let this be it because you’ve already put our relationship to rest…then that’s okay, too._

_Thank you for everything you’ve already done for me, Keith._

_Your friend,_

_Shiro_

Keith sat back heavily in his chair and balled his shaking hands into fists. He swallowed several times to try and work through the thickness in his throat. He was relieved and happy and he didn’t even know what else. He couldn’t even be angry that it took so long to get an email, because that’s all he wanted. All he needed was to hear back from Shiro.

A weight had been lifted off of his chest. A weight that he’d come to forget about because it had just been there for the past month. And to think that Shiro wanted some of the same things? That was probably the thing that he was most thankful for on that Thanksgiving morning and why he didn’t wait to start typing out a response. After all, Shiro was waiting to hear back from him, too after they’d both acted like pretty big idiots.

 

_Keith_

_27 November 2014 9:35 AM EST_

_Shiro,_

_I honestly don’t know what to say right now. I feel like I just dodged a missile with the sense of relief I’m feeling right now. Since you hadn’t responded for so long I’d kind of given up on hearing from you again so this was completely unexpected to say the least. After a couple of weeks had passed I thought that was it and I wouldn’t get anything else. I’d be left with my life how it was before you came into it. And as much as it hurt to have to wait so long to hear back from you, I’m glad that your note came today even after how long I had to wait._

_It’s a fitting start to my Thanksgiving. I usually don’t buy into the holiday too much. I always feel pretty grateful to have my friends in my life and don’t struggle too much appreciating what I have, but now that I know what it’s like to not have your letters and be able to talk to you, I realized how much I took advantage of your presence. How much I wasn’t able to really appreciate knowing you until now._

_So I think that I can safely say that this is going to be one memorable Thanksgiving. And maybe we’ll get to have a repeat of this next year where we each have messages in our inboxes. I hope that you can have an enjoyable day even though you aren’t with your family. I hope that you get to eat some good food and it sounds like you already had the wonderful experience of watching the sunrise._

_You should call your friends, Shiro. I’m sure that they’d be eager to hear from you today if you haven’t talked to them already. If I was in your position, Pidge and Hunk would probably threaten me to get back home so that I wouldn’t be alone. But I’m here with them and I won’t be alone because I’ve got two great friends and roommates and I’ve got you._

_I’ll be eagerly waiting for you next reply now that I know for sure it’s coming. I’d rather not have to wait another month for it to come, but as long as I know that it’s coming, I’m okay with that._

_Write back soon!_

_Keith_

After he finished typing he hit send and pushed back from his chair. He already felt emotionally drained from the sheer relief of the whole situation and all he wanted to do for the moment was go back to bed. He landed heavily on top of his blankets that had been pushed to the side when he got up. Keith sighed and closed his eyes, letting himself relax into the blankets and his mattress. His peace was short lived as his door was shoved open.

“Keith! Wake up, dude! If you sleep for much longer you’re going to miss the kick-off meal for this awesome Thanksgiving Day!” Pidge exclaimed and hurried over to the bed to tug at his arm. “Hunk’s already in the kitchen. Come on!”

Keith groaned. “Really? You’re really going to pull me out of bed like it’s Christmas morning?”

“Of course! Now stop moping and come on,” she said, laughing.

“Not moping, just emotionally drained and ready for another few hours of sleep,” he said, rolling over to face his friend.

“Emotionally…” Her eyes widened and she gasped. “Don’t tell me that he finally…”

Keith nodded and bit his lip.

“Oh my god!!! Tell me everything. Actually, come into the kitchen and get some breakfast and tell us everything. Oh my god, oh my god. Hunk! Hunk!!!”

“Calm down and breathe, Pidge. Geez.”

“How do you expect me to be fucking calm?! How are you calm?!” She pulled him into a sitting position. “Come one, come on! You have to tell us what happened.”

“Okay, okay,” he said, getting up and letting himself be pulled from his room, smile tugging at his lips now that his earlier exhaustion was quickly becoming forgotten.

Hunk looked up from where he was cooking when Pidge pushed Keith onto one of the stools at the kitchen island and sat next to him. “Okay, spill.”

“What’s going on?” Hunk asked, obviously amused even as he set full plates of bacon, eggs, and pancakes in front of the two of them.

“Keith got a reply from Shiro,” Pidge supplied.

“Took the guy long enough. Honestly, it was cruel for him to make you wait so long,” Hunk said, waving his spatula around.

“He apologized for that. He said that he didn’t want to email me back until he was sure how he felt about the whole situation and that time got away from him and he hadn’t realized how long he’d left me without an answer.”

“So what did he say? I mean, it’s obviously got to be a good thing since you seem to be in a pretty good mood. I’d be more worried if you’d locked yourself into your room and were refusing to come out,” Pidge said, picking up a piece of bacon to chew on.

“He said that he wants to stay friends and continue messaging each other,” Keith said, blushing as he remembered the rest of what he’d said and how he wanted to do all those things with him.

“Eyyy!!! I think this calls for a celebration!” Hunk said, grinning.

“Hunk, it’s already Thanksgiving,” Keith pointed out.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t make it extra special for you! Too bad Shiro isn’t in town. It’d be great if we could invite him over for dinner since I’m sure he’s still travelling.”

“Yeah, he said that this was his first Thanksgiving away from home.”

“We’ll just have to have him over next year, then!” Pidge broke in.

Keith laughed even as warmth spread through his chest at the thought of sharing the holiday with him. “Yeah. Next year.”

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_15 December 2014 5:05 PM EST_

_Dear Keith,_

_It feels like just yesterday was Thanksgiving, but here we are with Christmas almost upon us. I’ll actually be returning home to spend the holiday with my mother even though I was gone last month. It’s the first Christmas that we’re going to have without my father so I feel that I should be there for her during this time. It’ll also give me a chance to visit with my friends again since I’ve been gone._

_Do you have any fun plans for the holidays? Any traditions like with Thanksgiving? I’m assuming that Hunk is going to cook for all of you again like he did last month. You’re just about finished with finals for the fall semester, too, right? How did those go?_

_I hope that the stress isn’t getting to you too much now that your last semester is approaching. It might be scary, but I know that you’re going to do great and have an awesome job after you graduate. And if you want to work for my family’s company, the offer still stands, of course._

_I wish I could send you a longer note today, but my plane is boarding and I’ve got to go._

_Talk to you soon,_

_Shiro_

Keith groaned and rolled over in his bed. He was thankful that he’d have the night off for once now that he was done with finals because he really didn’t have the energy to do anything else. He remembered Pidge and Hunk saying something about ordering pizza to celebrate and he was looking forward to that probably a little more than necessary.

After their break in communication before Thanksgiving, their letters had been pretty consistent back and forth with only a few lapses on days where Shiro was travelling or had a full schedule of sight-seeing planned or Keith was busy studying for finals and taking exams or working the few shifts that he had scheduled.

He read over Shiro’s email again and he knew that he should reply sooner rather than later, but he wanted a few minutes of not having to worry or think or use his brain even if it was just to send a simple email. But his replies were never simple because even after his realization that he wanted to meet Shiro and spend time with him in person, his traitorous brain wouldn’t let him stop thinking about it.

He wanted to blame it on the holiday season. All of those Hallmark movies that played about true love and finding the love of your life even under the most ridiculous circumstances. Keith knew that nothing like that could ever happen to him. It made him want to bury himself under his blankets until Christmas was over and he could forget about the movies and stories and commercials and just get back to how things were supposed to be.

But of course he wasn’t lucky like that. Because he had no self-control. And he couldn’t help himself. He curled up on his side and pulled his computer over to him, sighing heavily even as he hit the reply button. He could at least give Shiro something to read when he got off of his plane.

 

_Keith_

_15 December 2014 6:30 PM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_I think it’s great that you’ve decided to go home and visit, especially now that the holidays are here. I think it’s always nice to be together with the people you care about during times like these. For the past few years, Pidge, Hunk, and I have just spent the day with each other. Hunk usually cooks. Pidge and I try to help, but he insists on doing it himself. So instead we provide encouragement for him by eating the food that he makes._

_Usually he puts together so much that we’re sorted for at least a week after the holiday and don’t have to do any shopping. The food coma just never really stops. I thankfully went shopping for their presents several weeks ago and after going through the stress of the last few weeks I’m glad that I did._

_I’m officially done with finals and right now I’m curled up with my computer so I can write back to you. I’ve got the night off, thankfully, since both of my jobs were very understanding and thought that I could use a break. I’m planning on ordering a pizza later tonight so that we don’t have to worry about cooking and we can all just relax and let our exam worries fade away._

_Please don’t remind me that I’m going to have to start thinking about jobs in a month or two. I just got done with two very stressful weeks and don’t think having to worry about something else is entirely healthy. I’ll get the whole job situation taken care of when I have to, but for now I’m not going to think about it and you’re going to be nice and let me have some peace for a few weeks at least._

_I hope that you had a safe flight and didn’t have to deal with any annoying passengers or little kids. I’ve never been on a plane, but I hear that’s the absolute worst to have to deal with. And while you enjoy the rest of your evening, I’ll be enjoying my pizza and probably sag into the couch never to return._

_Keith_

After sending his message off, he pulled up the website for his favorite pizza place and put in the order. It was easier than having to pick up the phone and call and he didn’t really have the energy for that either. It was probably going to be a long wait, but after he got food he was going to let himself sleep off the lingering exhaustion from studying and stressing and there wasn’t anyone who could or would stop him for that matter since his roommates would be doing the same thing.

He grabbed his phone and opened the group chat that he shared with his roommates.

_Keith: Ordered pizza for us._

It didn’t take more than a minute for his friends to start replying.

_Pidge: God bless!_

_Hunk: Thanks Keith! I really was not in the mood to cook tonight._

_Keith: I know you love cooking Hunk, but it’s not a crime for all of us to share kitchen duties._

_Pidge: He’d be too worried about us both ruining his high-end cookware._

_Hunk: Wellll…._

_Pidge: See how he’s not denying it?_

Keith chuckled at his friends antics. He was already feeling much better and more relaxed now that exams were over.

_Keith: I see, I see._

_Keith: Anyway, since I ordered the pizza and paid one of you is going to have to get the door because I’m not moving from my bed until that pizza gets through the door._

_Hunk: Pidge can get it after she insulted my cookware._

_Pidge: I didn’t insult the cookware!!_

_Hunk: Lies. You just have it out for my pampered chef._

_Pidge: Fine, fine, I’ll get the pizza. It’s probably my turn anyway._

_Keith: Perfect. Wake me when it gets here._

Keith ignored any response that was coming in favour of burrowing himself underneath his blankets. If he didn’t catch a quick nap then he would at least be able to relax a little more and let his mind rest. He briefly wondered if Shiro had made it back home yet and when he would get a response when sleep pulled him under.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_25 December 2014 6:45 AM EST_

_Merry Christmas, Keith!_

_I know that it’s very early and you’re probably not up yet, but I suspect that my mother is going to keep me occupied all day and I won’t have a chance to email you later. I’m already up earlier than I need to be in order to write this, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget. It’s the first Christmas that we’re spending together after all._

_I don’t know if you have snow by you, but there’s not a single flake of it here. I’ve never seen it snow at home, but I have travelled during the winter and seen lots of it. I actually never really understood the appeal since it made everything cold and wet. I guess some people appreciate it though. And the same thing could be said about rain, too._

_Anyway, we don’t have snow, but we do have our usual Christmas tree up in the living room that towers over us all and is covered in so many ornaments that I wonder how it’s still standing up straight. There are more presents under the tree than I’ve seen in years and I can’t help but wonder if it’s my mom’s way of trying to make up for some feeling of guilt since I’ve been away for so long._

_I’ve tried to tell her that my leaving isn’t because of her, but she won’t listen of course. I guess I’ll just have to keep telling her until she understands. She’s actually been doing really well since I got back, but yesterday I could see the change and I know today’s going to be hard. She’s been with my father for so long and now he’s gone. It’s a new change, but I’m going to do my best to make it a happy memory for her._

_I hope that Hunk makes something extra delicious for all of you today and that you enjoy it immensely. Maybe next year I’ll be able to get you a gift that isn’t just me sending good vibes through email._

_Merry Christmas again,_

_Shiro_

Keith sighed and fell back against his blankets and pillows that had gotten bunched up around him during the night. He placed a hand over his heart at the ache he felt deep in his bones for Shiro and his mother. They were going to be having a long day today, but he did hope that Shiro was successful in making it a happy one for them both. He could at least do his part and giving him something positive to read when he was able to check his email again.

He could already smell the food that Hunk was cooking in the kitchen. He’d need to pull down his friends’ presents from where he’d hidden them in his closet and put them under their small tree for when they opened them later. But first he had a reply to send.

 

_Keith_

_25 December 2014 9:18 AM EST_

_Merry Christmas, Shiro._

_I’m sorry that this day must be rough for your family. If things aren’t as positive this year then I hope they get better next year._

_As for me, Hunk is already cooking in the kitchen and it smells wonderful. I’m worried I might start drooling if I don’t get something to eat soon. Maybe we will be able to spend next Christmas exchanging gifts. Although if I’m being honest, I’m not exactly sure what I would get you. What do you get for a guy who could pretty much buy whatever he wants? I honestly don’t know._

_If Hunk would let me in the kitchen to cook I could try making you something, but my baking skills are probably more than a little rusty with how long it’s been._

_I do know what to buy Pidge and Hunk each year for Christmas though. Their presents are currently hidden away in my closet since I haven’t had time to put them out under our little tree that we bought for our first Christmas together. It’s not exactly Charlie Brown small, but I don’t think it has it beat by much. Pidge always likes to insist that I’m wrong, but I see it how I see it._

_I understand if you don’t see this until later when all of your celebrating has come to an end, but I hope that you have a wonderful day regardless. You’ll have to tell me all about it later._

_Merry Christmas, Shiro._

_Keith._

Keith sighed after he hit send and took a minute to close his eyes and just be. Even with the faint sounds of Hunk’s work coming from the kitchen, the morning was peaceful. He already knew that he was going to have a wonderful day with his friends. They usually did when the holidays came around. And they didn’t even need alcohol to have a good time.

He finally pushed himself out of bed when his stomach started to complain that it wasn’t being fed the wonderful food that was being cooked. He pulled the presents from the top of his closet and walked out into the main room to put them under the tree. Hunk smiled at him from the kitchen and waved the spatula that he was holding even as Pidge made a noise from the table where she was stuffing her face with his cooking.

Keith smiled back and walked over to join his friends.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_26 December 2014 1:31 AM EST_

_Dear Keith,_

_I’m trying to type this even as my eyes are betraying me and trying to close so that I can get some sleep, but I wanted to reply to you after your message from earlier. Our Christmas went really well. My mom was saddened that it was our first Christmas without my father, but she also made the best of it and I did my best to help her._

_We had a wonderful meal that some of our extended family joined us for. I was caught up in conversations with my cousins and more than a few questions from uncles and aunts about what I was going to do with the business and when I would be taking over the company. I tried to explain to them that I wasn’t ready yet and didn’t know when I’d be able to take up the position._

_And then was sufficiently chastised by everyone who disagreed with my desire to take some time and that I shouldn’t keep the company waiting. Good thing I didn’t bring up my idea that I want you to help run it with me. They would become appalled at the idea of having someone outside the family in a position of power._

_I think they’d change their mind if they ever got to talk to you, though. If they knew you like I know you, they’d embrace you easily and welcome you into the family._

_But regardless of that we ate great food and drank tea around the fire. A few gifts were given to the younger members of the family, but other than that it was a day spent with people we all cared about. I’m guessing that you had a similar setup. You keep talking about Hunk’s cooking and I feel as though I’m missing something by not having been able to try it yet. Maybe someday though._

_Only a few more days and we’ll be ringing in the New Year. It’s crazy. So much time has passed. We’ve known each other for four months now, but it seems like it’s gone by so fast. Maybe this time next year we’ll have met in person. After all, so much can happen in a year._

_Anyway, enjoy your day. Sleep off the food coma from yesterday. Eat more food. Fall into another food coma. Sleep and basically repeat, I guess._

_Shiro_

Keith stretched his arms over his head and arched his back off the bed before falling limply back onto his mattress. He looked at Shiro’s email again. He was definitely planning on doing all of those things since it was his last day off of work before he had to get back. Now that he didn’t have classes and studying taking up his time, he’d have more time to spend working and making money.

Shiro’s wish that they meet up at some point in the future stuck with him. He wasn’t sure if he was being serious or not, but he hoped that he was. He’d give a lot for the two of them to meet and wondered if it would be creepy to make that happen. After all, his bank account was already in much better shape with all of the working he was doing and if he managed to get a job lined up after graduation, he was sure that he’d be able to swing a couple of weeks of vacation time before he would have to really start work.

And he had enough funds to plan out a short trip for whatever destination Shiro might be headed to. He could see the two of them running into each other in some sort of restaurant or bar and being surprised to be in the same place. They could sit down for a meal or a drink and just talk. They did enough of that in their letters. He didn’t know why it had to be any different than in person.

Keith sighed and let his eyes slide shut. It was all well and good that he had those kinds of hopes backing himself up, but the reality of things was much different from what he wanted. So many things could end up going wrong or changing and he wasn’t sure he’d be ready for that kind of disappointment if it did come.

He rolled onto his side and pulled his computer back over to him. The least he could do for now was continue his correspondence with Shiro. They’d come this far and he had no desire to stop.

 

_Keith_

_26 December 2014 10:29 EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_Keep making those comments about wanting to meet and do things together and I might just take you up on them if you’re not careful._

_It sounds like you had a wonderful time with your family. Even if they were bugging you about work and the company. How much longer do you think you’ll be travelling anyway? I know that you said you weren’t ready to go back until you’ve figured it all out, but I’m curious as to how many more places you’re planning to visit. Have you gone very far internationally? Some of your letters have made it sound like you’ve really just kept your travels domestic._

_I honestly can’t believe that we’ve been talking for so long. It seems like we’ve known each other forever, but it really hasn’t been that long. It seems like just yesterday Joe was convincing me to take that first letter and respond to you. So much has happened. I finished my last fall semester and I’m getting ready for my last semester. I’m going to have to start applying for jobs soon and figure out my plans for the future._

_I’m going to have to figure out if I want to stay here or move away. I’m not sure which is more likely. I think it really depends on where I can get a job at this point. Since I’ve saved up enough money, I might try and go on a short vacation before starting work. You’ve inspired me a little bit, I guess._

_As for today, I’m planning on doing all of those things that you’ve suggested. It’s my last day before I have to go back to work and I want to enjoy it by eating good food and lazing around. Maybe Pidge, Hunk, and I will sit down and watch a movie later. We haven’t had a movie marathon in a while. It would be good for us. I think I’ll suggest it._

_You seem like you could use some more sleep so take a day. I’m not sure when you’re planning on heading back out, if it’s immediately or if you’re staying with your family a few days, but either way enjoy your time and relax._

_Keith_

Keith groaned as he rolled over and climbed out of bed. His stomach was starting to take notice and there was a lot of really good food waiting for him in the fridge from the day before. And he was definitely going to eat his fill of it. If not more. The movie night could wait.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_31 January 2014 11:12 PM EST_

_Dear Keith,_

_Happy New Year! Well, not quite yet, but I couldn’t wait. I wanted to send this as soon as I had a moment. I’m spending the evening with my friends back home. I’m leaving to do some more travelling soon and wanted to get one last celebration in with them._

_You asked me a while back how much travelling I was still going to do and I’m not entirely sure. I think I might be close to finding an answer to what I want to do, but I still have those doubts in the back of my mind about what it is that I really want. It might just be another week or another several months._

_It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone. So much has happened in a year. I lost my father and started travelling. I’ve seen so many wonderful places and things and met a great deal of people along the way._

_And then of course there’s you. You who have brought some joy and fun back to my travels. Gave me something to look forward to and helped me dread the future and the responsibilities that people want to shove onto me a little less. You helped me reunite with my friends after I all but disappeared._

_So here’s to another year of moving forward. Another year of learning new things and being together, whether that’s in person or through these letters that we’ve sent so many times. Here’s to endings and beginnings and necessary changes._

_Happy New Year, Keith. I’ll save you a popper._

_Shiro_

Keith smiled down at his phone and glanced out the window of their apartment. Hunk and Pidge were in the kitchen refilling their glasses with the cheap wine from the grocery store, because who wants to drink champagne when you can have something good? He could see the other apartment buildings where the parties were in full swing now that midnight had just passed.

There were even several groups of people on the streets below. Complete strangers coming together to celebrate with everything that they had because there really wasn’t a party quite like a New Year’s party.

He pulled the blanket a little tighter around his shoulders and kept his phone buried inside of the material. He wanted to reply to Shiro. Wanted to tell him what was going on around him, but he also wanted to wait. Wanted to give himself a few minutes to just exist and be now that another year had come to a close.

He glanced back over his shoulder and looked over all of the snack bowls and dirty dishes that they’d accumulated during their little evening together. During the movies that they’d watched to keep them occupied while they waited for the moment when they could turn on the celebrations and watch the ball drop in New York.

His gaze fell on his friends who were steadily drinking wine and snacking on some of the leftover food that Hunk had made. He glanced down at his phone where he was still gripping it with the blankets. He sighed and walked towards his bedroom, setting down his empty glass on the coffee table as he went. He crawled into the middle of his bed and sat cross-legged, draping the blanket around his shoulders carefully so that he still stayed covered but could also use his hands.

Keith pulled up Shiro’s email and hit the reply button. He took a deep breath before steadily beginning to type. It would’ve gone faster on his computer but he didn’t want to take the time to start it up and wait for everything to load.

 

_Keith_

_1 January 2015 12:15 AM EST_

_Happy New Year Shiro._

_It’s officially 2015 for me and I can’t help but think that this is both a big deal and very anticlimactic. I always thought that the celebrations and parties for New Year’s made it seem like this big change was supposed to happen when the clock struck midnight. I had the same opinion about birthdays too. That we were supposed to feel different on some level, but that never came. It ends up being just another day on the calendar._

_Pidge and Hunk are eating and drinking in the kitchen as I write this and several celebrations are happening outside. I’ve retreated to my room for the moment so I could send this to you. I’m glad that you took the time to be with your friends even though you’ll be leaving in the morning to continue your travels. If you’re not too hungover that is._

_Tell me about where you’re going when you get there. I’d like to know what you’re up to and what you’re seeing. I’ll be having to get back to the books soon enough when classes start up again in a week. I’ve already been back to work for several days, but that was easy enough to fall into even with the days off that I had._

_I’m sure that my official job search will be getting started soon and I’m more than a little nervous, I’ll admit even though I haven’t even started looking yet. I know that I’ll end up finding a job somewhere, but there’s still that fear in the back of my mind that I won’t. That I’ll be unemployed and burn through my savings and won’t be able to afford an apartment._

_It’s a little ridiculous, I know. I’m sure that my friends wouldn’t ever let that happen to me, but I don’t want to be a burden on them when they’re going to have their own jobs and worries and things that need to be taken care of. I just have to believe that I’ll get through it and end up graduating with a job lined up because there’s not much more that I can ask for besides that at this point in my life._

_I hope that you enjoy the rest of your celebrations. Enjoy your travels as you head out tomorrow. I’m sure that you’ll be up before I am. I’m only sitting in my bed with a blanket wrapped around me, but I already feel sleep tugging at my consciousness begging for rest._

_Goodnight, Shiro._

_Keith_

He tiredly hit send, not even caring if he’d given away too much. He could worry about that later, because it was certainly something that didn’t need his concern at the moment and he wasn’t going to waste it when he really just wanted to sleep. He stood slowly and walked over to turn off the lights. Keith carefully navigated his way back to his bed and curled up on it, letting sleep finally take him even as laughter from Pidge and Hunk filtered back to his room from the kitchen.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_7 January 2015 8:03 AM EST_

_Good morning, Keith!_

_The sun is already up and shining and so am I! I woke up in a particularly good mood this morning if you couldn’t tell and I’m ready to take on the day for what it is. I’ve managed to get somewhere a little warmer now that winter is getting into its worst stages._

_How are things with you? Are classes starting all right? It’s your last semester so I’m sure that a lot of exciting things are going to be happening. Especially when you start your job search. Not that you need a reminder from me of course. Sorry if that made your day go a little downhill._

_I’m hoping to stay in some warmer places as other people suffer through the cold. It’s not warm enough to go to swimming in the ocean or anything, but a walk along the sandy beaches is still pleasant when I’m not having to do it in winter clothes. I don’t think my shorts and tees have seen this much sun in a long time._

_I fear that this letter may be shorter than my others at the moment. I’ve become so preoccupied with being outside and enjoying the weather that I haven’t spent much time indoors. I wish you could see this though. Have you ever been to the ocean? It think that it’s as incredible and widespread as space is. It holds so many mysteries._

_I think you’d like this beach. We can add it to the list of things that we should do together sometime._

_Shiro_

Keith sighed and propped his cheek against his fist as he stared at his laptop. He was jealous that Shiro got to spend time on a beach enjoying himself while he had to go back to classes. They hadn’t quite gotten the worst of their winter weather yet, but he knew that it would be coming soon and he wasn’t looking forward to having to trudge through it when he needed to get to class.

He was glad that he didn’t have to worry about having a car or driving on icy roads or worry about traffic. It was one of the blessings of living in a city with such outstanding public transportation and being so close to his university.

But Shiro had been right when he said that Keith wasn’t looking forward to starting a job search. He knew that it was probably early, but he wanted to make sure that he graduated with something under his belt and wasn’t left floundering to find a position. It was another of those times when it made him reconsider Shiro’s offer to work for him.

He switched tabs and looked back at the job search page that he’d pulled open. The cursor was blinking at him. He hadn’t even searched for anything yet. He groaned and buried his face in his hands. He could put if off just a little bit longer and answer Shiro’s email first. He was probably waiting for a response anyway.

 

_Keith_

_7 January 2015 4:55 PM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_I sincerely wish that I could be on a beach right now. It would certainly give me a chance to relax with all this stress. It’s the first day of classes and I’m already stressed. How ironic is that? That’s not exactly the life that I was expecting when I decided to go to college. I mean, I knew there was going to be stress, but this seems a little ridiculous._

_I’ve already started thinking about jobs. I’ve gotten as far as the job search page, but haven’t managed to type anything in. Yet. Maybe after I send this off to you I’ll be able to convince myself to start looking. My goal for the semester is to do a little bit of job searching each day and gradually fill out applications. If I’m lucky, that just might mean I’ll be able to graduate with a job._

_My first day of classes wasn’t bad. It was all pretty much just introductory stuff and going over the syllabus. I’ve got a little bit of a break right now before I have to head off to work so that I could grab something to eat at least. I think that I’ll graduate with a good chunk of money to help me set up in a new place. Wherever I manage to end up._

_I was also thinking that I could take a small break between graduation and whenever I get my job and go on a little vacation. Nothing too elaborate, but maybe a week away. It’ll give me a chance to see a new town and meet some new people. You’ve inspired me, I guess._

_Maybe if you ever get back to work, you’ll actually make enough money where you can have a timeshare at a beachfront condo. Then you’ll be able to spend a lot of time there and still travel to other places. Or you could get super rich and buy a private island. I might have to mooch off of you for access to that. Because being on an island that doesn’t have anyone on it except those who need to keep things running? That sounds like paradise to me._

_There’s no one to judge you and no one to tell you you shouldn’t be there. You don’t have to deal with idiots and can enjoy the sun and the sand. You can go swimming and read books. Go for hikes and gaze at the stars and sleep under them too. You can have a fire pit and make s’mores and grill out and just do all of these incredible things that some people won’t let you do._

_Okay, Shiro. I’m expecting you to get super rich now and get an island. I want that island. I’m depending on you now Shiro. Save me. Help me find paradise._

_I’m completely joking with that last part, in case you couldn’t tell. Do whatever it is that you need to do. I know how stressful this whole thing has been for you and how difficult it’s been figuring out what you want to do. It’s a big decision and you should be allowed to take the time to figure out what’s right._

_I gotta go, but I’m with you on the beach in spirit._

_Keith_

He hit send and sighed. He moved back to the job search page and looked at where his cursor was blinking mockingly at him in the search bar. With another sigh he gripped the top of his laptop and shut it. He could worry about that later. He needed to get to work anyway.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_21 January 2015 5:55 PM EST_

_Keith,_

_It’s not even the end of January and the dreaded Valentine’s candies and gifts have started to be put on display in the stores. I’m already seeing advertisements at restaurants for dinner reservations and the whole thing only makes me roll my eyes._

_I’m not entirely against the holiday, but it’s hard to not see the ridiculousness of it all when I don’t have anyone to celebrate it with. I’m not exactly complaining, but maybe one day I’ll see what’s so special about this holiday. Although by then, hopefully I’ll care enough about my partner that I won’t need the holiday to want to make romantic gestures._

_I see nothing wrong with picking up a bouquet of flowers because I saw them and thought of the person who I care about. I see nothing wrong with surprising them with a romantic dinner and just enjoying a night together whether it’s been a busy week or we’ve been able to see each other every night._

_What I do find entirely embarrassing is the people who are tripping all over themselves to try and make this holiday perfect because that’s apparently what matters and if it isn’t perfect then the likelihood that they’ll stay together goes down. I really really don’t understand that._

_How do you feel about it? Is there anyone who you have to be your valentine? Is there anything that you’re going to do for the holiday? Is this another one of those cases where Hunk’s going to cook for all of you and you’re just going to celebrate together?_

_I’m curious. Maybe this year since I’m thinking about it so much I’ll take myself out to dinner. I’ll make reservations at one of those restaurants that boasts about their arrangements and see just how good it really is. It’ll be a treat to myself for once._

_How goes the job search? You didn’t seem to have any luck in your last letter. Have things turned around? Have you suddenly found your dream job? I’m rooting for you. I know that you can do it. Just wait until you get called for that interview. Now that’s really a cause for celebration. Not some stupid holiday that people think they need to express their love._

_Hopefully school and work aren’t keeping you too too busy._

_Write back soon._

_Shiro_

Keith had meant to reply to Shiro’s most recent letter sooner, but time and his homework and work and his job search had caused everything to get away from him. He groaned and rubbed at his eyes, trying to force himself to stay awake. He opened up a reply and slowly began typing, hoping that he wouldn’t fall asleep in the middle of writing it.

 

_Keith_

_22 January 2015 11:45 PM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_I agree when it comes to Valentine’s Day. I can understand why people like the holiday and celebrate it, but it’s become such a large holiday that the standards have just increased. It’s become so commercialized that it’s not about just spending time with the people who you care about, it’s about what you can buy for them. It’s about spending the most money on the most expensive dinners and the most expensive gifts._

_I feel the same about romantic gestures. I think that people should do something because they want to and not just because a holiday or the world says they should. What’s important is how someone feels. It’s what’s in their heart. I’m not even sure if I’m making sense right now. I know it’s late and I should get to sleep, but if I don’t write back to you now, it’s not going to happen anytime soon._

_The job search hasn’t been that successful yet. It’s been in pretty much the same state. I’ve continued looking for jobs and have applied to a few but haven’t heard anything yet. I’m not looking forward to having to go through the interview process as it is. But at this point I’m willing to take anything._

_I don’t have any plans for Valentine’s. Hunk, Pidge, and I don’t ever put something together for the holiday. Usually we’re all too busy with schoolwork to really bother. And we’re under the same mind that we don’t need a holiday to do things together. We just do what feels right._

_If you need someone to spend the holiday with then I’ll be more than happy to be there. If you’ll be my valentine that is. I still don’t know if I’m making any sense at this point. But I should probably go to sleep. If I don’t want to pass out before sending this that is. And if I want to stay coherent tomorrow during my classes and during my shift at work._

_Talk to you later._

_Keith_

He hit send and rubbed his eyes again. He figured he’d probably not remember much of it the next morning, but that didn’t really matter at the moment. He just wanted to get some sleep before he’d have to wake up too early. He shut his computer and shoved it away before rolling over and messily pulling the blanket over him. He would probably wake up in the middle of the night and be cold, but he’d deal with that later. He just needed sleep.

Darkness pulled him quickly, finally letting him rest after a long day.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_14 February 2015 9:35 AM EST_

_Keith,_

_It seems that the dreaded holiday is finally upon us. Well, less dreaded since you offered to be my valentine. Sadly I won’t be around to take you out to dinner or bring you chocolates or flowers. I’ll just have to put in an IOU for later when I’m actually, you know, around. But I am still hanging around places where there are beaches. The sand is lovely and I am spared having to watch other sappy couples as they get all gross._

_I know that you were embarrassed about bringing it up the first time, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the two of us being valentines. It gives this day a little something else even if it’s only between friends. I know that several people do things as friends instead of dealing with all of the romance stuff._

_Hopefully you’ll get some good news today when it comes to finding your future job. Didn’t you say that you’d heard back from one place who showed interest? If not, maybe you’ll hear from somewhere else soon. I know that you can do this Keith._

_How are classes going? Aren’t you going to have mid-terms show up in a few weeks? I know that it seems sort of early, but I always felt that the Spring term went faster than the Fall term did. I don’t know why that is. Maybe because I wasn’t coming off several months of vacation and having to be faced with school work again. Not that I have to worry about either of those things at the moment. I just have to figure out the rest of my life._

_No pressure._

_Let me know how things are going. Don’t get too stressed. It’s your last semester so you’re almost done. Although, I’m not sure whether that’s a comfort at the moment or not. I know how much stress you’re under so I might not exactly be helping. Sorry._

_Write back as soon as you can._

_Oh, and Keith?_

_Happy Valentine’s Day._

_Shiro_

Keith couldn’t keep the smile off his face. And boy was he _trying._ It wasn’t fair that such a simple letter could make him so ridiculously happy. It wasn’t fair that one man could be so cute and funny and everything that Keith wanted out of life. Everything that he couldn’t have.

He wasn’t even worried about fighting the feelings anymore. They were there and he had to accept them because there was nothing that he could do about it. And he really didn’t want to fight himself on that anymore. He had so many other things to worry about, that a crush on his pen pal was just a normal part of life at this point. Maybe one day he’d work up the courage to ask Shiro how he felt, but that didn’t have to happen yet.

He could just enjoy their correspondence for what it was. He didn’t have to worry about anything else or think about anything else.

 

_Keith_

_14 February 2015 3:35 PM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_Yes, happy Valentine’s Day. Happy overpriced chocolate and flowers and extremely capitalist holiday. I will expect to get that IOU in full one day, so you better not be lying about it. I’m expecting a romantic and cheesy gesture so you best be prepared. I want the cheesiest romcom and stereotypical gesture that you can come up with. Don’t disappoint me, Shiro._

_My classes are going fine. I’m not having to worry about stress yet since mid-terms are still a few weeks away and I’m doing my best to not think about those because I know how stressed I’m going to be when they come back around and that’s not something that I’m looking forward to. But yeah, classes are fine. Not too bad. I’ve got an easier load for my last semester, but since I’m working two jobs and looking for a professional job the amount of stress hasn’t really changed, unfortunately._

_But that brings me to some news._

_I finally have gotten an inquiry from one of the companies that I’ve applied to and they want to do an interview. The company is in a different state so it’s going to have to be a video call, but it’s an interview! I honestly couldn’t believe it when I got the email. I’m excited because this just might mean that I graduate with a job, but I’m also slightly terrified because I’ve never had to do a professional interview like this before._

_I mean, you’re the business tycoon, how do you get through interviews? The one thing that I can comfort myself with the fact that I won’t have to be there in person. It’ll be a little more comfortable which I will be more than thankful for._

_I know you said to not be stressed, but telling you this is stressing me out a little._

_Maybe I’ll go buy a box of chocolates in a mocking sort of celebration of our first Valentine’s Day together. Have fun in a restaurant by yourself. Hopefully you don’t get too many sad looks. Or maybe the staff will take pity and your meal will be free. That actually sounds like a brilliant plan. Try that out and let me know how it goes._

_Happy Valentine’s Day,_

_Keith_

He sent it off and got up from the bench that he’d been sitting on. His little afternoon break had been wonderful and entirely welcome, but he still had one more class and then a shift at work. He could only hope that he wouldn’t be faced with too many desperate people trying to make this the best Valentine’s Day ever. Or if he did, he just hoped they’d prove to be good enough stories to tell Shiro.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_26 February 2015 12:15 PM EST_

_Keith,_

_You’re going to do great on your interview. I know that it’s going to be scary, but the best thing that you can do is be yourself and shove all of your qualities that make you a perfect candidate for the position in their faces. Piece of cake. And if you don’t get the job then it’s all because the people who were interviewing you were complete idiots and didn’t realize how much they actually need you to work for them._

_Which would be a pity that you didn’t get the job, but if they can’t recognize a great employee when it’s put on their doorstep then they don’t deserve you anyway._

_Stay cool and calm and answer their questions. After that, there’s not much you can do. I know that you’re going to do great and you’re going to get the job!_

_Good luck!_

_Shiro_

_P.S. And if they are stupid and don’t hire you on the spot, just remember that there is still the opening in my family’s company that needs to be filled. We’d be more than happy to have you work for us!!!_

Keith took deep breaths and checked the time on the clock again. The minutes were ticking by so slowly and he really just needed to get his interview over with. He smoothed down the dark button-down that he was wearing. He would’ve liked to have had a suit jacket, but was terrified of the thought of having to try and buy one. He wouldn’t even know where to start. Not to mention the fact that he wasn’t even sure how much they cost and if he had enough money to buy one.

He opened up a reply and started typing as he waited. He was nervous, but writing back to Shiro would keep him distracted and that’s what he needed at the moment. He had his skype pulled up and everything and was just left to wait and needed to not think about what kinds of questions they were going to ask or how much he was about to be judged from a piece of paper.

 

_Keith_

_26 February 2015 5:15 PM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_Thanks of the advice I guess. And the well wishes. I need those right now since I feel like my stomach is twisting itself into knots. I’m really glad that I haven’t been so nervous as to get sick because that is not what I need right now. What I need is to have this interview over with and have a job._

_I don’t know what I expected exactly since this is my first interview, but I can only hope that it goes well. And if it doesn’t and I can’t ever interview for anything ever again, I just might take you up on that offer to work for your family’s company. Where’s it located again? And how much money am I going to need to settle myself there after college? And how much money am I going to be making in said position?_

_I’ll either send you another email after I get done with the interview or I will be hiding in shame, never to move again. You’ll know which in an hour or two. Or maybe you won’t. I don’t know what you’re up to and I don’t know what you’re doing so it could go either way._

_I should text Pidge and tell her to pick up some comfort food just in case._

_Okay, okay, okay, it’s getting closer to the time when the skype call is going to come through. I guess I should get going, as terrifying as this whole thing is about to be. Again, you’ll hear from me later depending on how this goes._

_Keith_

He hit send and locked his phone before silencing it and setting it to the side. It wouldn’t do to have any unnecessary interruptions. Especially when this interview was so important and he wanted to make a good impression. He drummed his fingers on the table and waited, waited, waited. He wiped his hands on his pants because of course they were already sweaty. At least he wouldn’t have to shake anyone’s hand. That was one comfort in this whole process. He would at least be able to try and play off his nervousness.

Keith nearly jumped when the sharp ringing of skype came through. He accepted the call quickly and sat back as the video loaded.

“Good afternoon, Keith…”

He took a deep breath. This was nothing. He could do this.

“Good afternoon.”

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_10 March 2015 11:33 AM EST_

_Dear Keith,_

_Have you heard anything back from that company you interviewed with? I know that you said you were on the fence about how well it went, but it’s been a couple of weeks now. They should have contacted you in one way or another._

_Mid-terms are happening too, aren’t they? Not fun having that much stress all at once. It’ll all work out, though. I know that you can do it. You’re smart and a hard worker and you’ve proven yourself this much already._

_As for me I think I might only have a few more months of travelling in me. It’s getting close to the time when I left a year ago and I’m closer to an answer than I used to be, that’s for sure. Talking to you has helped over these past few months. I honestly can’t believe we’ve gotten to this point. It seemed like just yesterday I was checking my P.O. Box and found your note inside._

_I can remember how that felt. I was so excited. I was ecstatic to actually have a letter for someone and to possibly talk to someone else. And look at what our conversations have evolved into! I certainly don’t want them to stop once you graduate and I decide on my next move. You’ve become such a huge part of my life. You’ve become important to me._

_That’s probably enough sappiness from me today. I can’t help it I guess. Blame it on the approach of spring and flowers and gardens that are going to be blooming soon. This time of year always makes me a little bit nostalgic. But it also gives me a chance to look forward to the future and know that it’s not going to be all bad. I can only hope that you’ll be there with me._

_Write back when you can!_

_Shiro_

Keith yawned and slumped down into his desk chair. It was far too late at night and he was wondering why he was still up, but then he remembered all of the homework that he had to do. And work. He sighed and placed his hands on the keys and slowly began to type, fighting the urge to fall asleep.

 

_Keith_

_11 March 2015 1:27 AM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_That’s a big moment now that you think you might know what you want to do. I think you’ve been more successful than I have in dealing with that aspect. Although for me it’s mainly just been figuring out what my next steps are going to be once I graduate and finding a stable job._

_The time has passed incredibly fast and I can’t believe how far we’ve come in talking to each other. You’ve been someone who I’ve been able to be honest with. There are obviously many things that we haven’t talked about, but you’re a person who I know I won’t be judged by. You’re someone who I can talk to if Pidge and Hunk are busy and I don’t want to bother them. I never would’ve thought that something like this could ever happen._

_I can very much understand the whole sentimental way of thinking. I don’t even know if it’s due solely because spring is coming. I think a lot of it is just since we’re so conditioned to expect new things during this time of year. From our early years in school, it was spring break and almost summer. I don’t know, maybe I’m just reading too much into things._

_Mid-terms are coming up once again. I’ve got a little bit of time before my first test, but I’ve already started studying since this is my last round of exams before finals and then I’m done._

_And I heard back from the company. They’re passing on me which I understand, but I’m still disappointed. I’ve gotten a few more calls for interviews which has made me feel better. Those are scheduled for next week, so here’s hoping that I still might end up graduating with a job. Your advice really helped me even though I was so nervous. So if you have any more tips for my next round of interviews they would be greatly appreciated._

_How do you think you’re going to bring your travels to an end? Is there anywhere that you’re going to end it with? One place that you haven’t been to yet? Or are you going to revisit a place for a second time? Maybe somewhere that left a huge impact and you want to see again?_

_Hope you enjoy what you’re doing. I’m going to go crawl into bed because I’m about to pass out._

_Keith_

Keith tiredly hit send, more relieved to be done with the letter than he usually was. He shut his computer and turned off the lamp that was on his desk before pushing his rolling chair over to the side of the bed so he could fall on top of it. He didn’t even bother getting under the covers, just pulled his pillow underneath his head and fell asleep.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_23 March 2015 7:55 AM EST_

_Dear Keith,_

_I was up early today. Not early enough to catch the sunset, but I was setting off to my next destination. I’m not exactly sure how I want to end my travels, but I think that I want to do it somewhere I haven’t been before. Maybe sometime in the future I can come back and visit the places that I’ve enjoyed the most, but I want to have this last chance to enjoy a new place without having to move on or worry about new responsibilities._

_I haven’t decided where it’s going to be yet, but I’ll definitely let you know what my plans are once I do decide. I’d love to go back to the diner that started everything between us, but I think I’ll wait on that. I really want to go to one last place I haven’t been to just to keep with the theme that I’ve had going for the past year, if nothing else._

_I’m sorry to hear about the company passing on you. I hope that you get this next one. I know you can do it. And this next interview should be a lot easier than the first one now that you have experience. Have you had the interview yet? Have you heard back from them? I know it’s been a while since you sent me your letter. I got caught up in some things and have only had the chance to reply now._

_How were mid-terms? I can’t imagine that they haven’t happened yet. Isn’t it about time that you’d get around to having spring break too? Are you going to do anything fun? Any plans with Hunk and Pidge? Or are you just going to enjoy having some time away from classes and work to save up some more money?_

_I’ve left the states that have beaches in favour of places that are further inland. I didn’t really feel like being overrun by college students who are only there to party and get drunk and have sex. It’s not exactly what I want to be around._

_Let me know how things are going._

_Shiro_

_Keith_

_24 March 3:18 PM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_I don’t blame you for wanting to get away from the crazy college students. I’m staying in town and working, but I am enjoying not having to do much homework for a week. I did indeed have mid-terms and did really well. The only thing left now are final exams. It’s weird to think about. I’ve put so much energy into these last four years and it’s almost over. I’m still not entirely sure what’s coming next._

_I made it through the first round of interviews for the second company, thank god. Apparently they were really impressed with my qualifications which mainly just confuses me since I haven’t even graduated and the only work experience I have is from my jobs. But the second interview is coming up. I’m hoping that this is the last one and that after I go through it, I’ll know if I have a job or not._

_It sounds like you have some big plans for your last hurrah. Maybe you could get some fireworks and light those in celebration. Although…I’m not sure if you’re that happy about having to take over the company and get a real job instead of just traveling and enjoying yourself._

_You better not forget about me when you’re wearing suits and drinking coffee in your big, fancy CEO office. After all that talk about wanting to keep writing letters, I’d be pretty disappointed and just might have to track you down and smack some sense into you._

_Are you worried about going back? Nervous? Is it going to be a scary change for you? I guess you mostly have a life intact in the city that the company’s located in so you don’t have to go through the process of finding an apartment and furnishing it and all of those things that come with finding a job in a new city right after college._

_All of those things that I’m going to have to do if I get this job. But I really do want this job so I think everything is going to work out fine._

_Since you’re avoiding all of the college students going down to the beaches for spring break, I guess you’re in some pretty peaceful cities and towns. There’s no one around to bother you or be crazy on the weekends. That must be nice. It’s pretty much what it’s like for me here since a lot of people have left and I’m hanging around to work._

_Enjoy your last days of freedom._

_Keith_

Keith sent his letter and navigated back to the page he was looking at. He bit his lip when he compared the location of _Shirogane Incorporated_ to the company he was being interviewed for. He hadn’t thought to look into the company before to get an idea of where Shiro was from, but now that he saw they were both located in the same city, he questioned how much of this just happened to be coincidences and how much of it might actually be due to fate.

_~~_

_Takashi Shirogane_

_7 April 2015 4:45 PM EST_

_Dear Keith,_

_Have you heard back from the company that you interviewed for yet? You said that your interview was coming up and I didn’t know if you’d gotten the news yet. How much longer do you have in school anyway? A month or so? I’d think that your classes would be wrapping up soon and finals would be getting started._

_And then you have graduation. I’m not envious of that. I certainly wouldn’t want to have to sit through college graduation again. So many boring speakers. Poor air conditioning and stuffy robes. Ugh, no thank you. I guess I’m not painting the best picture of it either. Sorry._

_I think that I’ve finally settled on where I want to go for my last trip. It’s nowhere tropical. Just a city up on the east coast. It’s a small town that I think specializes in lobster or something. I’m not too sure, but I’ll find out when I get there. I’m sure they’ll probably have some really good clam chowder. Not that I’ve actually had it before, but considering the popularity of it, I figure that it must be something worth trying at least once in my life._

_After my last visit, I’m set to go back to the company at the beginning of June. I am pretty lucky that I don’t have to worry about setting myself up in a new place, but I’m also going to be working with all of the people who worked with my dad. They’ll probably have the same expectations and standards for me that they’re used to. I don’t know if I’m going to measure up to those._

_My dad was really successful. I just hope that I have what it takes to keep the company alive if nothing else. I don’t understand why anyone would want to be a CEO. There are so many things to worry about. I’m probably going to go grey. Or die young from all the stress._

_For now, I can at least put if off a little bit longer and not have to worry about things. And I’ve still got you. Don’t let me become a sad old businessman, Keith. I would not be able to handle that._

_Shiro_

_Keith_

_14 April 2015 8:58 PM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_I am currently struggling to survive during these weeks. Classes have wrapped up and finals are upon me. I thought that it was going to be a cakewalk since it’s my last round of finals, but I’m not sure how I’m going to make it out alive. If I die, remember me fondly, please. I’m just sad that I won’t be around to see how wildly successful and rich you become. I was really banking on mooching off all of your money so that I could live comfortably. I guess this whole plan to woo you is pointless now._

_Enjoy your last couple of months of freedom. I wish I could do the same, but it’s just going to be stressful studying for exams and then taking exams and then making sure everything is in order for graduation. And then I have to wrap up with my jobs and leave those._

_And for the news that I know that you’ve been waiting for…I make it past the second interview and they decided to hire me. I just got the phone call yesterday and I’m utterly relieved. There’s really no other way to describe it. I just felt all of this stress leave me and exhaustion take over. I could probably sleep for a couple of days just to recover from it all. But since finals…I don’t exactly have time to do that._

_So once I graduate, I’ll be moving out west. I’ve already started looking for apartments and Pidge and Hunk have been helping me out with that. They were so happy for me that we had our own mini celebration. We’re going to have a bigger one once exams are over and we can get properly drunk and not have to worry about the consequences._

_I’m also thinking of taking a bit of time for myself before I have to move and after graduation to enjoy myself and maybe do a little bit of travelling. Or maybe I’ll move first. I’ll have a whole city to familiarize myself with._

_If I can manage to not screw up my life then you are well on your way to being successful. I know that it might be scary having to work with the people who knew your dad so well and are familiar with the company, but I know that you can do it. From the letters that you’ve sent me, I can tell how amazing you are and these people, regardless of what kinds of expectations they have for you, would be stupid to not see how great you are and how hard-working you are._

_And if things get too bad, maybe you could just run away again. If I get my place set up and in good enough shape, you could come crash with me. That way you know you have somewhere to go if things become too much. Now that I think about it, having a place to escape to actually sounds really nice._

_This letter got kind of long this time, oops._

_Write back soon._

_Keith_

Keith turned away from his computer and the apartment searches that he was still doing and back to his books and sighed. He still had so much work to do. It would be a miracle if everything got in order in enough time. Everything was piling up at a crazy rate. He didn’t even think he’d make it this far and now he was having to organize his life.

~~

_Takashi Shirogane_

_20 April 2015 7:35 AM EST_

_Dear Keith,_

_I appreciate the offer to have a place to crash if I can’t handle it, but I don’t think that I’m going to be able to run away this time. I should stay. I owe everyone that much so they’re not worried about what I’m doing or what trouble I might be getting myself into. But I think that I’ll be able to handle it._

_Have you finished up with finals yet? I hope they haven’t caused too much stress. You’re almost done though! You just need to get across that stage to graduation. And then you’ll be a fully-fledged college graduate and will have to enter the world of adulthood which is not as fun as we always thought it would be. But I’m sure that you know that already considering how much thought you put into your future and the two jobs that you’ve held down for so long._

_Are you excited to finally be graduating? Terrified? Ready to get to work? Excited to take some time for a quick vacation before you have to get down to it? Want it all to end before it’s even really begun?_

_I’ve got a few more places to visit before I get to the last city that I intended on visiting. There’s supposed to be a lot to do there so I’m giving myself more time to enjoy it. I don’t think that I’m going to want to leave my travels behind, but it’s necessary. Or maybe not so necessary if I still have quite a bit of time off and flexibility when it comes to running a company. I really have no idea. But that’s all just part of the adventure, right? That’s what I’m hoping for._

_Good luck with everything._

_Shiro_

_Keith_

_29 April 2015 2:53 PM EST_

_Shiro,_

_Sorry it took me a bit longer to get back to you. But I’m finally free! Finals have finished and I’ve gotten the results which have all been positive which means I’ve successfully finished college! The only thing that I have left to do is walk across the stage and get my diploma. And then once that’s done, I’ll have a few weeks to get everything wrapped up here and get set to move._

_I’ve decided that I’m going to get everything to my new apartment, which isn’t much if I’m being honest. A lot has been accumulated in the apartment between me, Hunk, and Pidge, but dividing it up has proved how little each of us has actually brought. I think Hunk has the most stuff, but that’s because he pretty much stocked the entire kitchen with cooking supplies. I’m not envious of him, that’s for sure, but he’s not moving that far. He’s staying in the same city, but getting a smaller place since Pidge and I are both moving._

_For the first time in a long time, I don’t have to work for the next few weeks. I had my last day on Friday and I’m glad to have the time off. Sort of. The next week is going to be spent packing and getting ready for the move. Then I have graduation. And then I get to load up everything in a moving van and drive across the country for the week after that. And then I’ll set myself in my new apartment. And then I’ll get a week of vacation before I’m supposed to start work._

_I think I’m nervous to start work since it’ll be a new experience, but I’m also more than a little relieved that I actually have a job so that’s a comfort in itself._

_What about you? You only have a month left of travel time. Are you counting down the days until it’s over? Are you regretting your decision? Are you thinking of taking it back? I feel like for both of us right now this last month is basically a doomsday clock that is slowly counting down to zero and there’s nothing that we can do to stop it, but we also don’t know what the outcome is going to be._

_Enjoy your last few weeks of travels. I’m going to enjoy my short stint of freedom._

_Keith_

Keith hit send and pulled up the hotels that he was looking at. He was looking for a cheaper place and already had to buy a plane ticket. He wanted to make this trip happen, but he didn’t want to blow through all of his savings because of it. He was determined to make it work…

_~~_

_Takashi Shirogane_

_7 May 2015 4:55 PM EST_

_Keith,_

_The first week is over. Only three more to go, much to my own dismay. You’re right about it feeling like this is a doomsday clock. Every morning I wake up and think about how that date is slowly creeping forward and I really can’t do anything about it. Except it’s more like I wake up and another day has passed and it won’t slow down and my time is being forcefully taken from me._

_How was graduation? Did anyone trip on stage? Someone tripped at my graduation. Luckily it wasn’t me. I probably would’ve died from embarrassment. Like seriously died from embarrassment._

_How is the packing going? Overwhelmed by it yet? I always kind of enjoyed packing. It could either prove to be a challenge, but it also helped with the excitement of starting something new. Unpacking I don’t really care for. When that happens I’m kind of like how did I get so much stuff???? You’d think it’d happen the opposite way, but nope. Instead of making everything fit into a smaller case or box, I have to figure out where everything is supposed to go and that is just so unappealing._

_Keep in contact with Hunk and Pidge when you go your separate ways. I know that you probably will, but you’ll regret it if you don’t. It’s so easy to fall out of contact when you aren’t living together. That’s kind of what it was like for me this past year. First, I was afraid to contact them since I didn’t know what they were going to say, but after I did, I have to make a conscious effort to text or call because it would be so easy to get wrapped up in whatever it was I was doing and just not think about it._

_I’m glad that you haven’t forgotten about me yet. I would’ve missed out on so much if you’d stopped writing to me. It would’ve been very sad._

_Enjoy your travel time that’s coming up. Eat lots of pizza and takeout and let yourself splurge on things that you haven’t let yourself have in school or while you were working. You’ve got some extra money to spend so use it._

_I’ll be looking forward to your next letter._

_Shiro_

_Keith_

_May 14 2015 6:55 PM EST_

_Dear Shiro,_

_No one actually tripped at my graduation. I would’ve loved to see that as long as it wasn’t me. It’s a funny thing how everyone wants to watch someone trip, but the thought of being the person to trip is horrifying. I’m glad it’s done. I threw away my gown because I didn’t see any point in keeping it. The tassel from my cap and my diploma got thrown into one of my boxes. I don’t know which one anymore since they’re all mixed up._

_I never did get overwhelmed by the packing. Again, I didn’t have that much stuff so it was pretty easy to deal with. And there was a lot of extra things that I’d accumulated over these past four years that I didn’t need any more and could just throw away. That always felt good. There’s something underrated about throwing out stuff. It’s a blessing really._

_I’ve finally made it to my new place. It’s weird. I’m so used to having other roommates or having other responsibilities. I mean, I’m going to have those once I start my job, but I’m here by myself. I can do what I want as long as I can afford it financially and it’s relatively legal. It’s so weird to me._

_The one thing that is overwhelming me is having to learn the layout of this new city. I definitely have a lot of exploring to do and it’s going to take me a while to actually understand where I’m going and where everything is. I guess I could take a note from your book and just let myself go explore._

_I’m going to have to do that soon anyway when I go on vacation._

_I promise that I won’t forget about you. It’ll be hard when I have your letters coming to my inbox to bug me. And I’ll make sure to keep in contact with Hunk and Pidge. Aside from you, they’re my only friends. I’d like to keep them close._

_Enjoy the last of your travels._

_Keith_

Keith hit send and looked away from his phone at all of the boxes that were surrounding him in his empty apartment. The thought of having to start unpacking was already stressing him out and he decided to take some advice from Shiro and order a pizza. That would force him to put off unpacking for a little while. And he didn’t have any groceries or anything to cook with anyway.

~~

Keith took a deep breath and looked over Shiro’s letter one last time. His idea to try and meet Shiro after graduation had been one that he wanted more than anything, but now that he was actually here and Shiro didn’t know he was… It didn’t seem like the smartest things that he could’ve done. He’d told Pidge and Hunk about it and they had thought that it was romantic, but of course they would.

Now that he was here, he was more nervous than anything.

When he’d first arrived, he hadn’t even known where he needed to begin. He figured that Shiro would be going everywhere and anywhere that was off the beaten path. He would be going for the places that the locals would go to instead of what tourists would light upon. Not that there was much in the way of tourism in the city they were in since it was so small.

Keith knew that he needed to write Shiro back, but due to nerves or something else, he just didn’t know what to say. He was worried that everything would come out and he’d confess what he’d been planning for months. And then it wouldn’t really be a surprise anymore and if Shiro thought that he was joking that would probably just end in disaster.

He placed a hand over his stomach as it grumbled. He caught sight of what looked like a freshly painted sign over a local restaurant. That seemed to be as good a place as any. He was fond of locally owned diners. Blame him for being biased, but he couldn’t help it. There was just something about them. The people and the food were usually tough to beat.

The bell over the door jingled as he stepped inside and when he looked up he smiled. Shiro was standing in front of a bulletin board, pinning up a letter. Of all the ways to run into him, this had been the least climactic that he was expecting. Not that he couldn’t make it more so.

“I didn’t know you were still leaving letters,” he said, walking over to him.

Shiro glanced over and froze, pin hovering over the edge of the envelope. His eyes widened and the letter slipped from his grasp. Keith bent down to pick it up and pulled the letter from the envelope.

_25 May 2015_

_Dear Stranger,_

_I’m amazed that you’ve picked up this letter and started to read. I’ve been leaving these for the past year in the different cities that I’ve visited. And I find that this is going to be my last one. Not just because my travels are coming to an end, but because in all of the letters that I’ve left, there’s only been one person who has ever written me back._

_We’ve been writing letters since August and I don’t know how I was so lucky as to have him pick up one of my letters. He’s amazing. Fantastic. He’s so smart and wonderful and I don’t know what I would ever do without him._

_I think that I might actually love him. Or like him a lot. I just wish there wasn’t so much space between us. Because I would really like to meet him some day. I might just have to go back to the town that he lives in and hope for the best. Although he’s moving so that probably wouldn’t work._

_I don’t even know where he’s moving to. I guess I’m not the best at trying to do romantic things. I should’ve asked him about possibly meeting before now. He said he was going to be going on vacation and we could’ve easily met up in a city together. But I guess that doesn’t matter now that I’ve sat down in this diner and had lunch. Soon we’ll both be back to our own lives. I just hope that we can both stay connected._

_Even though this is my last letter that I’m leaving. You are more than welcome to still write to me. My P.O. Box is listed below and I can promise that I check it regularly and any letter that you send me is going to get a response. And if you don’t find that you want to write me back or keep this letter, please leave it on the bulletin board so that if someone else finds an interest in it, they can read it too._

_Thank you,_

_Shiro_

Keith folded up the letter and slid it back into the envelope. He knew that he was blushing. But he was also smiling. He took the push pin that was still hovering over the bulletin board and pinned up the letter for Shiro.

“Keith? But what-how-I-“ Shiro stammered.

“You know how I was saving up all of that money from my jobs? Well, I wanted to surprise you.”

Shiro stared at him. And then he grinned. It was blinding and wonderful and so happy. And then he started laughing. “This is something out of a romantic comedy or something,” he said, gleefully. “I can’t believe that you’re here!”

Shiro pulled him into a tight hug and Keith hugged him right back, finally feeling like he could relax.

When they pulled apart Shiro looked over him. “Have you eaten yet? Why don’t we sit down and talk. There’s so much that I want to ask you. I can’t believe that you’re actually here!”

“You act like we haven’t been writing letters to each other and sharing so much personal stuff,” Keith said, allowing himself to be led to a secluded booth.

“We have been doing that, but this is the first time that I’ve been able to talk to you in person. I want to spend the afternoon with you.”

So they did. And when that wasn’t enough, one afternoon became the rest of their lives.

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr: my-one-love-is-music.tumblr.com
> 
> Twitter: twitter.com/m_o_l_i_m


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